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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27734008">If Only</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/miraculouslulubug/pseuds/miraculouslulubug'>miraculouslulubug</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adrien Agreste Is Sunshine, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Has a Crush on Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Identity Reveal, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Balcony Scene, Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng Fluff, Adrinette | Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Romance, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Balcony Scene, Complete, Eventual Romance, Evil Lila Rossi, F/M, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth Being Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Gen, Good Parents Sabine Cheng &amp; Tom Dupain, Hurt Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Jealous Lila Rossi, Kissing in the Rain, Ladynoir | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng as Ladybug, Lila Rossi Bashing, Lila Rossi's Lies Are Exposed, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Needs a Hug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Identity Reveal, Mentioned Lila Rossi, Minor Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth/Nathalie Sancoeur, No Lila Rossi Redemption, Panic Attacks, Parent Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Post-Reveal Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Post-Season/Series 03, Pre-Reveal Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Protective Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Protective Sabine Cheng, Protective Tom Dupain, Rain, Slow Burn Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Slow Romance, TV Special: Miraculous World: New York, Teen Angst, Teen Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 07:29:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>90,265</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27734008</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/miraculouslulubug/pseuds/miraculouslulubug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place during and after the New York special- While in New York, Marinette changes her mind and confesses to Adrien. Even though things look like they may be off to a good start, it's a bumpy road to happiness for both teens. Paris' superheroine has to face her own internal akumas before she can think about fully opening her heart.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir &amp; Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire &amp; Nino Lahiffe, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Gina Dupain/Rolland Dupain, Plagg &amp; Tikki (Miraculous Ladybug), Plagg/Tikki (Miraculous Ladybug), Sabine Cheng &amp; Tom Dupain, Sabine Cheng/Tom Dupain</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>138</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>440</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This begins during the New York special, but it does take a different route with how it ends.</p><p>TW: In the later chapters there will be talk about anxiety and panic attacks. </p><p>Disclaimer: Miraculous belongs to Thomas Astruc, Jeremy Zag, etc.</p><p>Special thanks to BrokeLau, AnnyName, Annandale, LadyCat, Khanofallorcs, TheBluemoon for helping beta the story during its different phases while writing it</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Adrien turned his head to the side in an attempt to dodge Kagami's kiss. He'd been finding himself doing that a lot recently. As much as it annoyed Kagami, she was determined to help him forget about his "mystery girl."</p><p>"Adrien..."</p><p>"I need time. Kagami, please respect that."</p><p>"I apologize if you feel like I am pressuring you. That was not my intention."</p><p>"I know. I… appreciate that you're patient, but I'm still unsure about this. I have a lot on my mind and moving on from L- <em> her </em> isn’t easy," he sighed.</p><p>"I've shared how I feel, Adrien. You should make a decision. This uncertainty, and the news that you can't go to New York, is affecting your ability to focus," stated Kagami.</p><p>The blond repeated himself. "I… I need more time."</p><p>"I will try to wait, but I won't be waiting around forever, Adrien. I'll see you tomorrow."</p><p>The fencer left the locker room and left Adrien to his thoughts.</p><p>The teenage model was in a funk, and Plagg's smelly camembert didn't help matters. But that wasn't what mattered.</p><p>It had been a few weeks since Kagami and his friends had their superhero identities exposed to Hawk Moth, and the supervillain had slowed down a bit when it came to akumas. </p><p>Nothing he and Ladybug couldn't handle, but it certainly left much to think about. </p><p>How long could they continue without back-up?</p><p>Adrien wasn't sure. He tried not to dwell on it too much on his way home.</p>
<hr/><p>This trip to New York wasn't what she had hoped for, let alone what she expected. Things with her partner- How was she supposed to react?!</p><p>Marinette had expected him to feel <em> bad </em> , but she had never expected him to <em> give up </em> his Miraculous. It meant everything to him. She didn't know much about his personal life, but she knew that for her Kitty, being Chat was the thing that gave him freedom. To know that he gave it all up because of how she saw him...</p><p>It took everything Marinette had for her not to break down then and there in the sewers. In a sense, she was lost without her partner. </p><p>She screwed up. She screwed up big time, and not only was her partner and best friend gone, her Kitty was too. </p><p>"<em>Why?</em>"</p><p>The question had escaped her mouth even though she knew the answer. And all she did was hurt him. Yes, Chat Noir had a tendency to mess up from time to time, but he always came through until the end. </p><p>Why did her Kitty leave? </p><p>She hadn’t trusted him.</p><p>But she did. With her life.</p><p>And yet, she let her own feelings cloud her judgment. Chat was right when he said he knew she would be disappointed in him for not telling her he was also leaving Paris. Disappointment was one of his biggest fears. He knew her that well that he was expecting to get in trouble in any case.</p><p>"I can't do this without him, Tikki. I'm sorry, Plagg. I'm really, really sorry. I never meant for Chat to- to-." She was choking on the bottled up tears. She couldn't risk crying. She couldn't risk getting akumatized.</p><p>"We'll find a way to make things right, Marinette." </p><p>Tikki felt horrible about what happened. She had to remain strong for her holder and for her fellow kwami who had just been left behind. </p><p>"Plagg isn't mad." She looked over to the kwami of Destruction, who for once was quiet. </p><p>"It's not your-"</p><p>"But it is! If I hadn't snapped at Chat, he wouldn't have felt like I mistrusted him. If he hadn't felt like I mistrusted him, he wouldn't have renounced Plagg! We could've probably already defeated the bad guy." </p><p>"I know you didn't mean what you said. My Kid, he has a big heart." Plagg had spoken up. He was devastated that Adrien left him, but in a way- "If anyone is to blame, it's me."</p><p>Tikki and Marinette looked at Plagg in confusion.</p><p>"I'm the one that told my Kid not to contact you. He was worried about something like this happening. He cares about you a lot, and you’re someone he trusts," he began. "I told him that what you didn't know wouldn't hurt you, but I was wrong. For him to give up his Miraculous… It’s the biggest sacrifice he's making. He knows what he's capable of, but because he's been sheltered a lot, he's still learning how the world works. Being Chat Noir let my Kid be free and happy. He thinks that by giving this up-"</p><p>"He thinks he's doing me a favor," the heroine finished for him. She took both the kwamis in her hands and kissed their foreheads. "He's not. He thinks that by sacrificing his happiness, I'll be happy. But I won't. I won't be happy until he's back."</p><p>"But he could be anywhere by now, Marinette. Trying to find him will be difficult," Tikki pointed out. "Plagg, I know how much you want to be with Chat Noir again, but it will have to wait." </p><p>"I know, Sugarcube. I know where he lives so I'll just go visit him once we return to Paris."</p><p>"Th-That's fine. Plagg?"</p><p>"Yes, Princess?"</p><p>"Thank you." The young Guardian was heartbroken. She couldn't explain why, but knowing she still had a chance to make things right gave her hope. </p><p>The small black cat let out a soft purr to reassure his new Guardian. She may have been clever and in love with his Kitten, but she was still a girl. Just like his Kid was still a boy. Both needed support to handle the humongous responsibility they had been burdened with.</p><p>Now that she thought about it, the kwami had used Chat’s nickname for her. “Plagg, why did you call me Princess?”</p><p>“You know that's what my Kid calls you when he visits you.” Plagg was not about to reveal that he teased Adrien about Marinette being the Kid's ‘girlfriend.’ That would just be too much for the girl to handle and would probably give her a clue about Chat’s identity.</p><p>“Oh. That makes sense.” Marinette didn’t say more. Something about this was helping her move forward as she began making her way out of the sewers.</p>
<hr/><p>"I'm really sorry, Marinette. You fought so hard for me to be here. I wouldn’t have minded being stuck here a little longer with a friend like you. My father's right, I never should've come to New York."</p><p>
  <em> He can't go. He can't! I already lost Chat Noir, I can’t lose Adrien too! </em>
</p><p>Unsure of what she was doing, she cried out as Adrien closed the door to the car. </p><p>"Adrien! Wait!" Impulse had her try and open it. </p><p>"Marinette?" </p><p>Adrien was confused. He's about to leave for Paris and yet his friend was doing something unusual.</p><p>He could hear his father on the tablet, annoyed at the delay. "Adrien, we have to go. It's too dangerous for you there."</p><p>"Father, please give me a moment to say goodbye," the blond pleaded.</p><p>"No! We-"</p><p>"Can wait." He saw Marinette sobbing uncontrollably. Was it something he said? He never meant to hurt her. First Ladybug and now his Pri- friend?</p><p>Marinette started falling backwards as the car door opened. "Aaaahhh!" Before she hit the ground-</p><p>She was wrapped in arms. In Adrien's cologne.</p><p>Was this-?</p><p>
  <em> It was. Don't let him go. Whatever you do Marinette, don't let him go. </em>
</p><p>"Marinette, what's wrong? Whatever I did, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." </p><p>Adrien found himself apologizing for something he didn't do. If he couldn't save Ladybug, he could try and save Marinette.</p><p>The designer was in too much shock to feel embarrassed as she clung to the blond model as if she was never going to see him again. </p><p>"You d-didn't do anything wrong, A-Adrien. Adrien, stay! I-I, We- Please don't go."</p><p>He didn’t have a choice. He had to go. It wasn’t like he was able to decide on his own. </p><p>"Marinette." He gently pulled her face up so he could see her eyes. They were red and her face was full of hurt. And it was his fault. But how was he supposed to fix this? </p><p>"Ma- Marinette… Thank you for everything, but as much as I want to stay, I have to go. If I don't, my father may decide to pull me out from school. Then I wouldn't be able to see you."</p><p>He wasn't sure where all of this was coming from, but it made his stomach feel weird.</p><p>Remembering that Gabriel Agreste would dare to pull his son from school snapped Marinette to reality. She had to let him go to Paris if she didn't want to lose him forever.</p><p>"I- I understand." She couldn't stop the tears, but relished in knowing she’d tried. "J-Just in case I don't get the chance to tell you…"</p><p>She could practically hear their classmates hold their breaths. Was that Alya recording?!</p><p>"Yes, Marinette?" </p><p>Oh, it was <em> really </em>hard to not get lost in his green eyes. His hands were holding her face as he wiped the tears away. </p><p>"I-I know you're in love with Kagami so I won't get in the way… You mean a lot to us. You mean a lot to our friends. And especially to me. I-" She was trying not to cry knowing her heart was going to be broken. Taking his hands in hers, she brought them down even though she was shaking. </p><p>"I care about you a lot Adrien. More- More than you know. M-More than a friend.</p><p>"A-And I know you only see me as a friend. It's fine. I'll be fine. I just wanted you to know before I lost my nerves, but… You mean everything to me. Adrien, I love you."</p><p>Quickly, she got onto her tiptoes and for a brief, very brief moment, kissed him. But before Adrien could react, Marinette let go of his hands. </p><p>"Have a safe trip to Paris." </p><p>And with that, she turned and ran.</p><p>Marinette wasn’t sure where she was running to. Away from Adrien and nowhere near Chat Noir.</p><p>If only she had confessed before Kagami took her shot.</p><p>If only she had trusted her partner more.</p><p>If only she hadn't gotten upset with him. </p><p>If only she knew what she wanted.</p><p>If only...</p>
<hr/><p>Adrien didn't even get a chance to think about chasing after Marinette.</p><p>"Adrien, we leave now or you won't be returning to the school when the class gets back next week," he heard his father say.</p><p>"Yes, sir." Climbing into the car, he saw his friends' faces. They were in shock or surprise. </p><p>"Nino-"</p><p>"Alya and I will take care of her, bro."</p><p>"Please let me know when you find her." He was going to be worried sick until he knew Marinette was safe.</p><p>The car drove away into the rain as he replayed the kiss. It had happened so fast. Why did his stomach feel weird?</p><p><em> It’s because Pigtails is your girlfriend, Kid. </em> He could hear Plagg tell him.</p><p><em> But she's not- </em> Plagg. How was he supposed to deal with this without his kwami?</p><p>He couldn't cry now. Hawk Moth being in New York meant the villain could akumatize him. He wasn’t even sure if Hawk Moth was going to return to Paris. In any case, he wasn’t in a position to let out his emotions. Any tears he'd been holding back would have to be shed on the plane.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Marinette's run off and no one's sure where to begin the search.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much for the support! I'm glad people are curious to see what happens next. As a thank you, here's chapter 2.</p>
<p>The inspiration for this story was the want for a different ending to the NY special. I didn't plan on it, but real life ended up having a role in how I wrote the story.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Alya and Nino led the search party for Marinette. Their friend wasn’t answering her phone. Maybe it had died or something had happened to her? Alya was hoping that they’d find the designer sooner rather than later.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“New York City is big! Why do we need to find Dupain-Cheng?” Of course Chloé was going to complain at a time like this. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Chloé…” Alya wasn’t in the mood to deal with the brat. “If you’re not going to help, why don’t you just go back to the hotel. Without Sabrina.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The daughter of the Parisian mayor wasn’t having it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Excuse me? Why without Sabrina? And who made you the boss, Césaire?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am </span>
  </em>
  <span>the class deputy. Second-in-command, right behind the class rep. Or did you not pay attention to the elections these last two years when you ran against Marinette?” Alya snapped back at her. She didn’t have time for this. "And having more people helping us helps cover more ground faster."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alya, we should probably-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Ladyblogger was trying to not get mad at whomever had responded. Hawk Moth was in New York. No sign of Ladybug or Chat Noir. It wouldn’t do any good getting akumatized. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? Wait for Marinette and hope she comes back? You saw what happened. She needs us. Adrien’s probably on the plane on his way back to Paris and is waiting to hear that she’s safe. As much as we all want to encourage Adrien to go after Marinette, and congratulate her for </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally</span>
  </em>
  <span> telling him how she feels, this isn’t the time. She only admitted it because she was worried she wasn’t going to see him again. If we have any hope of getting those two together, we need to save their friendship first. The first step in that is finding Mari.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The class fell silent as they heard Alya. How could they argue back? She had a point. And as happy as they could be about Marinette’s confession, given the circumstances in which it happened, this was no reason to celebrate.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chloé was torn. On one hand, she hated Dupain-Cheng, but at the same time, this was her Adrikins that was involved. Her BFF since forever definitely didn’t want to go home, even </span>
  <em>
    <span>she</span>
  </em>
  <span> could see that. So what if Mari-trash had confessed? It’s not like Adrien </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually </span>
  </em>
  <span>liked her romantically. “...Fine,” she said, breaking the silence that had followed. “I suppose that I can help. Adrikins is counting on us after all.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The class was shocked. Chloé Bourgeois was offering to help?! That was a first. Ever since her involvement in the Miracle Queen incident, things hadn’t been the same even if the class acted like it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Um… Thanks, Chloé.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll wait in the room in case she comes back. I can let Sabrina know if she does show up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ok… So maybe things </span>
  <em>
    <span>hadn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> changed that much. Chloé was still looking out for herself, but better to have her inside than outside having to deal with her complaining about getting wet and ruining her clothes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s… fine,” Alya replied. “Thank you. As for the rest of us, we should split up into pairs. If we see any of the heroes, maybe they can help us?” She glanced over to Nino who had been quiet this entire time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know we all have Adrien’s number but I’m not sure if he’ll want to hear from everyone. So if you find Mari, let everyone know. Me and Al will head your way. It’s not much, but I’m sure Adrien’s worried.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Excuse me,” Aeon was trying to process everything that had happened. She knew how humans worked but some things were still difficult to understand. “Would it be possible for me to help look for her too?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Amidst all the chaos that had just ensued, the Parisian teenagers had forgotten about their American hosts. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’d appreciate it,” smiled Alya.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright then, why don’t we get going?” Jess took Aeon down the steps as everyone else remained in their spots. Your friend won’t be found if you just stand there.”</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The search for Marinette begins</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It wasn’t cold, but Marinette was soaked. Tikki and Plagg remained in her bag. Good thing she had made it waterproof when she first designed it. As long as they were safe, that was all that mattered. She wasn’t far from the hotel, but she didn’t have the heart to face everyone. All she would get would be sympathy from her friends, hugs, and ice cream. None of that would help heal the suffocating feeling her heart was dealing with. She may as well be akumatized from a broken heart. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wasn’t sure how long she had been wondering around the area. It was all starting to blend together. What difference did it make? Adrien was going to reject her when she arrived home in Paris and she would still need to track down Chat Noir and possibly beg him to come back all because she was putting so much pressure on herself and him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she continued walking, one building stood out to her. With no plan in sight to return to the hotel anytime soon, she made her way to one of the skyscrapers in the vicinity.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Pretty much everyone had been coupled off- Alya and Nino, Rose and Juleka, Mylène and Ivan, Sabrina and Delmar. Max, Alix, Kim and Nathaniel had led a group that included the rest of the Americans.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yet no luck in finding the designer. They knew Marinette had a tendency to run off, but this was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Just </span>
  <em>
    <span>how</span>
  </em>
  <span> far could Mari run?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nino was surprised Adrien hadn’t been blowing up his phone with messages due to his worry. “Alya?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, Nino?” The reporter had been trying to multitask- keep an eye on her phone in case her BFF called or texted, keep an eye out for the superheroes and watch the streets for a sign of Marinette. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe we need to think about the search differently?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Back home, when Marinette needs to hide, she goes home right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, but there’s no place near us that’s like her home.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe it doesn’t have to be exactly like her home.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mar’s usually in her room or on the balcony,” Alya recalled from her numerous visits to the Dupain-Cheng bakery. “She says she likes the quiet out there and the view to the Eiffel Tower is pretty neat too. What if…” She began typing on her phone like crazy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Al?” The DJ looked over at his girlfriend. Once she was on a frenzy, it was difficult to snap her out of it. “You thought of something?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have a hunch. It’s not very specific, but it might narrow down locations nearby of where she may have gone.” Quickly, she sent off a group text to her classmates:</span>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Rose, Juleka, Mylène, Ivan, Sabrina and Delmar head to the Battery. Max, Alix, Kim and Nathaniel, you and the others should go take a look at the </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>parking lot or back patio of the Fairway Red Hook supermarket. Nino and I will be heading to the One World Observatory, it’s possible Marinette is at one of these places. And be careful! If you can’t make the trip, head back to the hotel.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Taking her boyfriend’s hand, Alya started the GPS and started walking to the Observatory.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Adrien was still on his way to the airport</span>
  <span> when </span>
  <span>Miraclonizer</span>
  <span> started attacking the area his car was in. Even when he was away from Paris, some things just didn’t change, did they? Second nature by now, his instincts were telling him to run off when suddenly he remembered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No ring. No Plagg. No Chat Noir. No Ladybug. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sadness he had been bottling up inside was threatening to unleash the more he thought about what happened. He really </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> have bad luck. Even without the kwami of Destruction and bad luck around, Adrien was still getting in trouble. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What could he do? If he ran off, his father would have his head for “endangering himself.” But he couldn’t fight.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Yes you can, Kid.</span>
  </em>
  <span> What was it about Plagg’s voice still haunting him here? </span>
  <em>
    <span>As Chat Noir you may have powers because of me, but you’re still a superhero even without the Miraculous. Haven't you already proven that?</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He actually missed the smell of camembert as his mind said this to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noticing that the door was unlocked, Adrien took his chance. Unbuckling himself, the teenage model bolted out of the car and sprinted down the street towards the danger.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p><span>With Sparrow fighting off the rest of the team, Aeon had transformed into Uncanny Valley and had been trying to scan for Marinette. She didn’t expect to see Adrien Agreste heading </span><em><span>towards</span></em> <span>Miraclonizer</span><span>. As far she knew, the French boy was supposed to be on his way to the airport because he was returning to Paris. “Look out!” Swooping in just in time, the superheroine dove to push the boy away from the villain’s blast.</span></p><p>
  <span>“Uncanny Valley?” The blond was staring at her in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. Hello, Adrien Agreste. Your classmates were looking for a friend of yours and they let me know that she was missing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know about Marinette?” Adrien was trying to process the information. If this superheroine knew…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was there when she ran." Detransforming, Uncanny Valley continued. "I was trying to look for her when I saw you below. I do not mean to intrude, but why were you charging Miraclonizer?” The android didn’t understand how putting oneself helped a human without the proper protection. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s… complicated. I-." Even though he saw his fellow American host detransform, he wasn’t in complete shock from the revelation. How was Adrien supposed to explain </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m the one that hurt you and basically killed you earlier</span>
  </em>
  <span>? “I let down someone extremely important to me. I lost her trust and want to make it up to her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Putting yourself in danger is not the way to do it. Why not earn her trust again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wish I could. There’s a lot of things that I would like to tell her, but she wears a mask around me all the time. I thought I knew her, but I guess I never truly did…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why not go to your friends? I can take you there quickly."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you, but this friend isn’t at the hotel."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They are not?" If his friend wasn't someone from his class, then who could it be?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No. She's here, but my mistake caused extensive damage. If she didn't have the ability to fix everything, things would be much worse…" he trailed off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What do you mean by 'fix everything'?" The android didn't understand what that referred to. "Do you mean fix physical damage?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"In a way. She's got a special ability that lets her erase that damage."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Something like magic?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You could say that…" Adrien wasn't sure why he alluded to Ladybug. Aeon probably had no clue who he was talking about. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you know how to get in contact with your friend?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shook his head in defeat. "No. Part of me was hoping she'd be near Miraclonizer,  but I guess she hasn't shown up. She's the only one that can fix the destruction of the akuma." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You are talking about Ladybug?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How do you-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I was damaged earlier because of an attack her partner used. It was an accident. From my understanding, he did not mean to hurt me. Ladybug's ability fixed everything, including me." As Aeon said this, she saw Adrien flinch. "I am not mad at her partner. I think he has already put enough pressure on himself because of what happened. I hope he is okay. He looked like he was very sorry. You could say almost like a cat even though they both had an unusual aura around them."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Chat Noir is the cat-themed superhero. Wait, what do you mean aura?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It is a cloaking mechanism of sorts. I would love to learn more about him and Ladybug. However, I do not think it's possible. If Majestia saw me with them, I would get in trouble."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sounds like my Father. He doesn’t like me hanging out with some of my friends."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He does not understand?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien shook his head. "He tries to control everything I do and won't give me freedom. I'm trapped in my own house a lot. It's because of Ladybug and Chat Noir that I've been able to start having friends."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can try and look for Ladybug while I look for Marinette."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How could he have forgotten about Marinette?! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No! Marinette comes first. Ladybug will show up at some point. She's the only one that can purify akumas."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Before I found you, everyone had split up to try and find Marinette. I'm not sure where they are now. Your classmate Chloé volunteered to stay at the hotel in case Marinette returned there."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll check those places!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wouldn't it be easier to go to the hotel and let Chloé know first? She can tell you where everyone is."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't you have the information?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No. I only know your classmates split up because of what Delmar told me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Defeated, Adrien's shoulders dropped. "I guess you're right."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We are not far from the hotel."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took the model a moment to remember that Aeon was a superhero. "We aren't?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It depends on your preferred method of transportation. Would you prefer to walk or fly?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fly please. I don't have time to waste."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Very well." Transforming into Uncanny Valley once again, Aeon flew Adrien back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Upon their arrival, she set the boy down on the fire escape of the hotel, she noticed the sad look on his face. “You should let your friends know you’re safe. I’ll let my friends know you’re here. Maybe Chloé can find out if they've found Marinette.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the mention of Marinette, reality sank back in. “I have to help find her!” he yelled as he began to climb down the fire escape.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A yell of “Adrikins?!” interrupted them before Adrien could continue. From above, Chloé had stuck her head out the window. “Adrien, you’re back!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I found him walking, so I brought him back here,” Uncanny Valley covered for him. She suspected that no one knew that he was Chat Noir.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, thank you.” The blonde-haired girl was itching to get back inside and away from the ridiculous, utterly ridiculous weather. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adrien, you can keep me company while we wait for Dupain-Cheng. I’ll let Sabrina know.” With that, she started calling the redhead. “Sabrina, Adrikins is back! He….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should probably go with her. I have the suspicion that she won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Unfortunately, you’re right.” All Adrien could do was now wait. Wait for his friend to come back safe and wait for Ladybug to help fight Miraclonizer</span>
  <span>. “Thank you for your help, Uncanny.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re welcome, Adrien.” The superheroine quickly took off as Adrien climbed back up the fire escape to wait with Chloé.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Marinette was inside the One World Observatory and staring out at the New York City skyline. Somehow amidst the chaos that reigned down below, she was able to come to the top to observe the city. It wasn’t her balcony, but she was finding a bit of comfort way up here. Catching a glimpse at the Statue of Liberty, it reminded her of Paris and looking from the Eiffel Tower with-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was not going to cry. She was not going to- </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh who was she kidding</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Marinette would be lying to herself if she tried to hide the tears that kept falling. She should be over this by now. She couldn’t let anyone see her like this…</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>From what Delmar had texted Aeon, they had checked the B</span>
  <span>attery and the </span>
  <span>parking lot and back patio of the Fairway Red Hook, but Marinette wasn’t there. Alya and Nino’s location was the last hope the French teens had. Everyone else went back to the hotel to change and rest. Word that Adrien was back had cheered them up a bit and gave them hope that things would turn around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Uncanny Valley made her way towards the One World Observatory after receiving an update from her friends. A quick trip around the observation deck showed Marinette was indeed inside. She sensed something around her. Not sure what, but it was the same magical interference that Ladybug- That explained it! If Marinette is Ladybug, then Chat Noir… She needed to get inside first. Given the current state of things, it wouldn’t be good to try and enter through the emergency exit. She should be able to get access from the front.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she flew towards the ground, she spotted Alya in a heated discussion with one of the people that helped at the front of the Observatory. “I know that Miraclonizer </span>
  <span>is out there and it’s dangerous, but my friend may be inside! She’s missing and we’re visiting from outside the United States!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, young lady, but no one else is allowed inside due to current security measures in place.” the lady stated. “ I suggest you wait down here inside the restaurant where you can-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I live in Paris. We have our own villains and bad guys every week. I know first hand what being in danger is like! This isn’t anything new-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alya, maybe we should-” Nino interjected.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Give up?! No, Nino. I have to hope that Marinette is inside.” The reporter looked so furious that she was on the verge of tears. “This isn’t the first time I’ve had to head into dangerous situations. I do it on a weekly basis when I report for the Ladyblog. Ladybug and Chat Noir have trusted me with reporting akuma attacks. If they of all people can trust me, Marinette should trust me to be able to know her like the best friends we are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe I can help?” Uncanny Valley proceeded with caution. She could see how upset Alya was and she didn’t want to risk making the situation worse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Un-Uncanny Valley?” To know that one of the heroes was here, Alya was in shock. In another time, she would’ve jumped at the opportunity to interview her, but- </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your friend Aeon told me about what happened. I flew around the observation deck and I can confirm your friend is indeed inside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Marinette’s inside!” Alya’s eyes lit up with joy. “Thank goodness! We’ve been looking for her everywhere,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m afraid I can’t make any exceptions Ms. Valley,” the front desk worker said. “It’s simply too dangerous to allow anyone else in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I go with them, will that be enough? I can ensure their safety.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m afraid not, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why? If we were in Paris, sure, people would hide, but no one would turn away people that were trying to help save someone! Isn't being inside safer than being outside?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alya…” Poor Nino. He wasn’t sure what to do. He wanted to get to Marinette, but was his girlfriend actually trying to blackmail a desk worker? “Als, it’s not like Ladybug or Chat Noir are stuck inside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if they are?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alya, don’t you think we would’ve heard about it by now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The brunette was impatient. She was so close to helping her friend, but some random adult was stopping her. “What do you suggest then, Nino? This is an outrage!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The former turtle Miraculous holder thought for a moment. They weren’t being let inside because they’re civilians. If they had been superheroes, they probably would've been let in with little to no questions asked… Looking at Uncanny Valley, “Uh, Ms. Valley?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uncanny is fine. Do you have an idea?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Since Alya and I aren’t allowed to go up there, do you think it’d be possible for you to go up there and talk to Marinette?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nino! We promised Adrien-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That we’d make sure Mari was safe. This is as much as we can do right now.” The DJ hugged his girlfriend in hopes that it would help her calm down a bit. He loved her and how passionate she was about the things she cares about, but she sometimes needed a reminder to ground herself. “We can see how this goes and then let Adrien know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Uncanny Valley looked to the desk worker who was more calm now Alya wasn’t hysterical. “Miss, if I go up there alone, would that be allowed? To my knowledge, it wouldn’t be breaking any rules.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lady contemplated. Alya was silently crying into Nino’s shirt. Both the teens were soaked and not once had they complained about being cold or wet. All they wanted was to make sure their friend was safe. “Very well. But as you said, only you can go up there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.” Turning to the Parisians, Uncanny Valley reassured them. “I’ll do my best to bring Marinette down.” With that, she made her way inside and up to the observation deck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya and Nino were escorted to a nearby bench in the lobby.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Back at the hotel, everyone was anxiously waiting to hear back from Alya and Nino. The last anyone heard was that they had made it to the Observatory. There was no confirmation on whether or not Marinette was there. No news was better than bad news, right?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien had been pummeled with hugs earlier and made everyone swear they wouldn't tell the teachers he was back. Now he was pacing back and forth across the hotel room floor. If only he hadn't given up his Miraculous. He could’ve snuck out with Plagg and helped search for his Princess.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You’re not an idiot</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He could practically hear both Marinette and Ladybug tell him that. He quickly glanced at his phone, wanting to turn it on, but he didn’t. His father and Nathalie would track him down back at the hotel and would certainly try to take him home now in the middle of the danger. Chloé had kept herself busy looking at who-knows-what since Sabrina was with Delmar. She was his messenger until things were able to get resolved.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s at the Observatory, but they aren’t able to get her.” Chloé’s voice broke the silence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh?” Adrien looked up in a daze. They found her? “Marinette’s safe?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, but Lahiffe and Césaire can’t talk to her. Apparently she’s inside the observation deck and the workers aren’t letting else anyone else go up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If Mari was inside… Was she hurt? Was she stuck or did she decide to go in by herself?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lahiffe said that someone is going to try and get her. He didn’t say who though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So his Purrincess was safe (sort of). He sat down on one of the beds. He could breathe a little easier now. Sure Plagg wasn’t around, but he’d tell him to stop worrying so much. “Thank you Chloé. I know that you don’t get along with Mari very much, but it means a lot to me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re my best friend, Adrikins. If hanging out with Dupain-Cheng makes you happy, I’d be a bad friend to stop you from trying to help her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You don't have to be her best friend, Chloé, but as your friend, I think you could at least try and be more respectful of others. I've seen the way a lot of people look at you after what happened the last time you were akumatized. If you need someone to talk to-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I was jealous, okay?!" Chloé admitted out loud as she looked at Adrien. "Jealous that even though I put myself in danger to try and save my parents, Ladybug </span>
  <em>
    <span>still</span>
  </em>
  <span> didn't trust me to at least help. It's not like I was demanding to take over as leader. All I wanted was a chance to show her that I can do good things. My mom's never been proud of me. I wish she wouldn't ignore me. As her daughter, I deserve attention. Being a superhero was one of my only chances."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Chlo, I didn't know."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course you didn't. It's not like I can talk about it easily." Chloé Bourgeois wasn't one to cry, and she wasn't about to start now- her makeup would be ruined! "Besides, even if my mother isn't proud of me, I still have you and Sabrina. No one else in the world will see who I really am."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm always here."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you, Adrikins."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With that, silence filled the room again. Adrien should make a mental note to talk to Ladybug about-</span>
</p>
<p>Right. He no longer is Chat Noir.</p>
<p>
  <span>With that, silence filled the room again.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Marinette had zoned out. No one else was around, but Tikki and Plagg remained hidden in her purse. With all the destruction outside the windows, she tried to picture herself back in Paris. She and Chat would probably be getting to patrol and-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Marinette Dupain-Cheng, New York needs Ladybug.” the voice cut through the designer’s thoughts. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She turned around to find the person behind the voice.. <em>Ladybug?</em></span>
  <em>
    <span> Now?</span>
  </em>
  <span>  "Uh, I’m sorry. I-I can’t help you.” What was Uncanny Valley doing here?! “I don’t know her…” She had to try and blow off any suspicions. She couldn’t risk anyone finding out who she was!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your suit’s quantum masking is magic meant to confuse humans.” Uncanny Valley revealed herself to be Aeon! “I am not human.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?!” This was not good. This was not good at all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Miraclonizer is really an akumatized Techno-Pirate, which means Hawk Moth is in New York too. We cannot defeat them without the girl who can fix everything. Your friends are waiting for you to go back to them. They’re worried that something has happened.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette doubted herself. “I don’t know if I can do this…” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Not without my partner and best friend.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “I can’t imagine being Ladybug without… </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I don’t know if I can face my friends after running away from them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In a flash and with a smile, Aeon became Uncanny Valley once more. “This I can fix.” She played some of the audio of Marinette’s friends figuring out how to find her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette was overwhelmed and in tears again by the time she heard, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>I let down someone extremely important to me. I lost her trust and want to make it up to her</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Her Kitty hadn’t forgotten about her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Handing the cat Miraculous to the American superheroine she whispered, “Please make sure it gets to him. It means everything to him. He- It’s the only thing that keeps us together. I don’t want to lose him again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I promise. I will make sure of it. Your friends Alya and Nino are waiting for you outside. They were not allowed up here so they trusted me with checking up on you. I think they will be relieved to know you’re safe.” She makes her way to the elevator.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alya and Nino?!” Marinette followed her into the elevator while in shock.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes. Alya was adamant about coming to get you. She mentioned threatening to write a bad review on the Ladyblog...?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, Alya…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The doors to the elevator opened upon arriving at the ground floor. “She and Nino promised Adrien that they would find you. The three of them are good people to have as friends."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They mean everything to- Aaaahhh!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Marinette!” Alya was crushing her best friend as Nino joined their hug. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A-Alya. I-I’m fine. I’ll be okay.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t ever do that again, Marinette Dupain-Cheng! Do you know how worried sick we were?!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Al, give Mari some room to breathe.” Nino was trying not to cry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not letting her go until we get back to our room!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Actually… Alya,” Marinette hated lying to her friends, but New York needed her. “Uncanny Valley needs my help…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? What do you mean by ‘help?” Oh no. Alya was about to switch to reporter mode.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It is only something she can do, Alya Césaire. I promise she will be safe, but I need her to come with me urgently.” Uncanny Valley was unsure about the sudden change in mood, but Alya looked as if she was going to try and tag along. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uncanny Valley will promise you an interview at the end of all this. You just have to let me go Al.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How do I know we won’t lose you again?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I will personally drop her off.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And I get the interview?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It is a promise.”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine, but first I need a picture to show that we found her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s alright.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Alya then proceeded to hug Marinette as Nino took a selfie of the four of them and sent it to the class group chat. Chloé then showed Adrien the photo. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chloé was dozing off when she got the picture. Relief washed over Adrien as Chloé handed over her phone to video chat when she got a call from Nino.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nino, can I talk to Mari?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s fine, bro,” Nino tried to reassure the model. “I don’t think she’s able to talk though. She’s kind of in a hurry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uncanny Valley needs her for something, so Alya and I are going to be heading back by ourselves.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She can’t! What if something happens to her?” He just got Mari back. He couldn’t risk her getting hurt or losing her again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adrien?” A red faced and soaked Marinette appeared on the screen. “I-I’ll be fine, I promise.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But what if-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If-If I’m your everyday Ladybug… Th-Then you’re my everyday Ch-Chat Noir. You- You make me- us happy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t sure why she said that, but if he couldn’t be the real Chat Noir anymore, he wouldn’t mess this up for Marinette. “Please be careful, Mari.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I- I have to go. I’ll see you later.” The determined look in her eyes was the same one she had given him earlier when she- </span>
  <em>
    <span>I love you</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She didn’t say it out loud, but her eyes said it all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In an instant, Nino was back and those blue eyes he loved were gone. “She’s gone, Adrien. Al and I should be back soon.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah…” Adrien was no longer paying attention. His mind went to Marinette. “See you soon.” Hanging up and handing the phone over to Chloé, he headed out the door. “Chlo, can you tell everyone that Mari’s safe? I- I need some time alone. I’ll be in Nino’s room taking a break.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is the last time I use lines from the special and where the "end" isn't the end.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>With Nino and Alya back at the hotel, Marinette could focus on the task at hand. Parting ways with Uncanny Valley, she transformed into Ladybug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In his room, Adrien was restless. If only there was a way to contact Ladybug and let her know that- </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A tap on the window caught his attention. Uncanny Valley was on the fire escape. “Where’s Marinette?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She is safe. I am here about something else.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something else?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Chat Noir, New York and Ladybug need you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m no longer Chat Noir.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>I stopped being Chat Noir the moment I lost Ladybug’s trust.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“To err is human apparently.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sitting down on the fire escape in defeat, Adrien couldn’t look at Uncanny Valley as he remembered once again what happened. “My mistakes are unforgivable. I couldn’t bear to see the disappointment in her eyes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just like with Ladybug, Uncanny played a recording. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>I don’t know if </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>I can do this... I can’t imagine being Ladybug without him.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>D-did Ladybug really say that?! He was gobsmacked. Even after his humongous blunder, she </span>
  <em>
    <span>still</span>
  </em>
  <span> missed him?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Uncanny Valley showed him his- the cat Miraculous. “Your Lady is waiting for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was no way this was real!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking the ring, he placed it on his finger. The familiar warmth was back. Plagg appeared as the kwami nuzzled him. “Glad to see you again, Plagg.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No need to get so cheesy,” the kwami of Destruction said as he fought against lecturing his Kitten. He wasn’t going to admit it to Adrien, but he missed his Kid! Camembert or no camembert, he loved this Kitten, cheesy reunion and all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who are you talking to?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My kwami.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kwamis can’t be detected by technology,” Plagg explained blowing a raspberry. Didn’t he explain this ages ago?! “Which means your robo-buddy can’t see or hear me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s no time to lose! We have to be back in this room before Marinette gets back. Plagg, claws out!”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>With peace restored in New York, Chat Noir snuck back into his hotel room. He was back! His Lady was with him again! If he wasn’t so worried about Marinette, he probably would be celebrating more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Uncanny Valley walked into the hotel lobby with an exhausted Marinette before quickly sneaking back as Aeon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As soon as they saw her, the class rep was sent to her room to shower, dry off and change clothes lest she get sick. Everyone had snuck upstairs to the roof for another party. Seeing that all the kids were accounted for, and reassuring Mr. Agresge over the phone that Adrien would be okay, Ms. Mendeleiev and Mr. Damocles went to rest in their rooms. The American chaperones were more laidback and trusted the kids (knowing if there was trouble there were superheroes nearby).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now feeling more calm, Marinette was ready to spend time with her friends and enjoy her time in New York properly. As much as they wanted to know what she was up to, upon hearing that Uncanny Valley needed her help, Marinette was “sworn to secrecy or else I’d have my memory altered.” Sure she was lying, but she couldn’t straight up tell everyone that she was saving them after they had risked their lives to save her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I appreciate what everyone did, </span>
  <span>but really, I’ll be okay. It’s not going to be easy, but I’m glad I didn’t lose him- or any of you.” She had tried to forget what happened earlier that day knowing that at some point Adrien would confront her about it. If he didn’t bring it up, no need to worry, right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the party continued, the teens, much to Marinette’s dismay and embarrassment, heard Alya and Nino recount the video call between Marinette and Adrien, including the “every day Chat Noir” comment. Needless to say, another round of bets was placed with Alya leading the betting pool. The designer didn’t have the heart to stop them and tell them that although she still loved Adrien, she was giving up pursuing him and opting to stay his friend. After all the negative emotions that they had dealt with, she granted them this happiness. At some point, Uncanny Valley showed up for a bit and Alya was able to get her interview.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was decided that no one would tell Marinette that Adrien had stayed. She was under the impression that the blond had left for Paris. They would leave it up to him how he would surprise her with the news that he was still in New York thanks to her.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“Upon your return you will not see your friends outside of school. You are to go straight to school and come back home for your lessons and photoshoots. Understood, Adrien?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Father.” Adrien didn’t say more. His father was furious at the stunt he “pulled with recklessness, completely disregarding personal safety and the image of the brand.” He could really care less what the man had to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was over the moon! His Lady had forgiven him, Plagg was home and his Princess was safe and sound.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Speaking of his Princess… He needed to talk to her...</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The party had pretty much died down. It was sometime after midnight when everyone started sneaking back to their rooms. Fortunately nothing crazy happened. Marinette wasn’t sleepy. Alya had left with the girls and Nino in a hurry not too long ago.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tikki?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Marinette?” The kwami of Creation and good luck was just happy that things worked out between her charge and Plagg’s Kitten. Had they waited until they were in Paris, things would have been even more complicated. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you. I know things weren’t… easy, but you’ve always supported me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s what friends do, Marinette. I may not be human so I can’t exactly give you a big hug, but I’ll still be around as long as you need me. I- Oh! Someone’s coming.” The kwami hid in Marinette’s purse as footsteps could be heard on the fire escape.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At this, Marinette looked in the direction of the sound of the footsteps. Maybe someone forgot something?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“M-Marinette?” A voice asked with caution.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As you can probably guess, I'm deviating from the ending. Starting with the next chapter, the fic will follow its own story.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>That sounded like- That wasn’t possible. He’s supposed to be on his way to Paris right now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A-Ad-Adrien?” She managed to stutter out as her heart raced against her ribcage. If someone had told her he was coming, she would’ve changed! </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That’s why everyone left wasn't it? They were still trying to get Adrien and her together! </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Nonononononononono!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blond stood next to her unsure of how to proceed. A small bouquet in his hand. “I, um, I wanted to give you these.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Turning to face him, Marinette saw the roses he was holding. “I- Th- Thanks. They’re beautiful.” Ivory, yellow, peach, and pink were in the mix. “Perfection, joy, gratitude, and happiness.” She felt her face turn red as she took them from him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was never like this before! Why was Adrien so nervous? This was just Marinette. She was one of his closest friends and someone he could trust. “Y-You know what the colors represent?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was Marinette's turn to blush. "A-A friend of mine likes roses and he- they've told me about their their feelings. I mean meanings! They've told me about the meanings of differenf colored roses." <em>I have to keep it to keep it together! I don't want to hint at Chat.</em></span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh... I just wanted to say that things wouldn’t be the same without you. I know I said it before, but thank you. It does mean a lot to me that you’re always trying to find ways to make sure I can come to everything. You don’t have to- What’s wrong?” Adrien’s face filled with worry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette couldn’t help but cry. She thought she’d be ready to face him, but she couldn’t. She knew it was going to hurt, but it still stung. “N-Nothing. I’m- I’m fine.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She turned away from him. She wasn’t going to cry anymore over him. She had to learn how to stop.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mari…” Adrien gently turned her to face him. Her eyes were closed and her head was down like before. “Whatever I did, you can tell me the truth.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shook her head as she sniffled. “You did-didn't do anything. It’s j-just me. I have to learn how to let go. I- I just need some time Adrien. T-Trying to be just your friend has taken a lot of time to get used to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was talking about- </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh…</span>
  </em>
  <span> Taking the flowers and putting them down, he sat down and pulled Marinette down to hold her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That’s what friends do, right?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“N-Not like this. I can’t. Th-This doesn’t help Adrien.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He tried to apologize. “I-I’m so-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘It's not your fault, It’s never been your fault. You didn’t know. You never knew how I felt. Don’t blame yourself. Kagami was right. If I had been straightforward back then, I probably wouldn’t be like this now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kagami? What does she have to do with us?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Did he not realize what he just said, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Us.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Not </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span> or </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Us</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “The last time the Bourgeoises were akumatized, remember how I hung out with you and Kagami?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. That day was a lot of fun.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kagami talked with me. She gave me a chance to tell you how I felt,” Marinette had to close her eyes again as she recounted the moment she made her decision. “I saw how much you enjoyed being with Kagami so- so I let you share André’s ice cream with her. I-I knew you liked her and-and I didn’t want to get in the way. You’ve always seen me as j-just a fr-friend so I figured I would never say it out loud. You never noticed and I didn’t want to lose you as a friend so-so…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien’s heart was hurting so much. He had caused her this pain? Even though he didn’t realize it, he still felt guilty about it. He held her. She didn’t fight him as he rested her head against his shirt. He didn’t care if the clothing got wet from the tears. His Princess, his everyday Ladybug needed him. “Kagami is strong and knows what she wants once she sets her mind to it. But she’s not- She’s not you, Mar. You’re selfless, thoughtful, funny, strong, and caring. You can do anything you set your mind to. You’re an amazing designer and baker. I know you’re going to be an amazing one when we finish our studies. You’re always doing what you can to take care of the people you care about. Even when you’re running late or are tired, you brighten my day.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was a mess. A big mess crying into Adrien’s shirt. She was pretty sure she was sitting on his lap. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He can’t do this. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He can't do this or say what he just said and expect her to </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>fall for him more. She absolutely hated this. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette clutched onto him as if her life depended on it. This felt wrong but at the same time she felt like she was at home. “B-but you’re d-dating Kagami.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t exactly say we’re dating.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We-We’ve all seen the way you hold hands and how she ki-kisses you.” What was up with her word vomit?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I never asked her out…” It was Adrien’s turn to blush.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She lifted her face to look at him. He was doing that thing where he scratched the back of his neck when he was nervous or embarrassed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She- Kagami’s trying to help me forget about the girl I lo-liked," he admitted. "And I haven’t kissed her. She’s kissed my cheek, but that’s as far as I let her. I-I don’t love her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The revelation was a bombshell. It was both good news and bad news at the same time. He wasn’t in love with Kagami, but he liked another girl… “Oh… Everyone just assumed that you two were together.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s my fault for not clearing the confusion. The other girl- I’m just a friend to her. I’ve already accepted it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you happy?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her red, puffy and swollen bluebell eyes looked straight into his green ones. “If you moved on from the other girl, and you aren’t dating Kagami, are you happy with your current relationship with Kagami?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That caught him off guard. Happy with his relationship with Kagami? They weren’t in a romantic relationship but from Kagami’s perspective they weren’t just friends. Was he looking for an equal? Someone he could trust and depend on just like his partnership with Ladybug? He looked back at Marinette’s eyes. Something was telling him that he wouldn’t be able to lie to her. If he did, he would truly be hurting her. “No… I guess not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you’re not, you shouldn’t force yourself. You should be in a relationship with whoever makes you happy.” Marinette sniffled as she focused her attention on his shirt to avoid his gaze. “It doesn’t have to happen right away. Sometimes our relationships with our friends are just the happiness we need in our lives… Sometimes friendships evolve into something more. Sometimes they don’t. Sometimes friendships end because things don’t work out for various reasons. It’s not always easy to move past friendships that end with heartbreak, but I like to think that those friendships are the ones that teach us about what kind of person we want to be with.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His Princess was leaving him with a lot to think about. When they got back to Paris he was going to have to talk to Kagami. He just hoped that she’d understand his decision. “Marinette?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ye-Yeah?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know this probably isn’t the right time, but when we get back to Paris, there’s something else I want to talk to you about.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you trust me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The way he looked at her, Marinette wasn’t sure what he was thinking. “Yes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I need to clear up some things, but when that’s done. I’ll explain. Is that alright with you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her heart began racing. What could Adrien want to talk to her about back home? “Sure. I-I’ll wait for whatever.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’ll wait a lifetime if I have to</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She didn’t want to get her hopes up, but Adrien looked like he was happy as he mentioned talking with her back in Paris.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adrien? Thank you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For what?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For being here.” Why did she have to keep crying? Sure these were happy tears, but damn it she was going to look horrible tomorrow because of her swollen face. “I-I’m sorry if you got in trouble with your dad. I know he isn’t exactly fair…” She turned her face away. She hated crying in front of him. It’s all she’s been doing!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s nothing bad. Sure I won’t get to hang out with everyone for a while during my freetime, but I’ll still be able to go to school.” Much like the day before in the rain, the model held Marinete’s face in his hands as he wiped away her tears.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Th-That’s great!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll still be able to have lunch with you.” He brought her face closer to his. He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t felt the weird feelings in his stomach again. It’d been like that since the day before. It was only with Marinette. The feeling was…. warm? He couldn’t exactly describe it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lunch?” Marinette’s brain and heart were duking it out on the inside. Adrien was giving off some confusing signals. Did he realize he was doing it again? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But she couldn’t (and wouldn’t) stop him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She didn’t want him to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh huh. After what’s happened… I don’t want to hurt you, even if it’s by accident. I want to see you smile every day.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was he trying to kill her with that smile of his? The same one he’d given whenever he was happy?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I- I’ll have the p-passionfruit macarons ready for you,” she managed to squeak out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t wait,” he said as she could hear the happiness in his voice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their </span>
  <em>
    <span>foreheads </span>
  </em>
  <span>were touching! Why hadn’t she fainted yet?! Just a little more and…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A-Adrien?” Marinette had closed her eyes as she whispered. She was trying to fight the urge to lean in and kiss him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hm?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A-Are you sure?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure about what?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“About… this.” She didn't want to break the magic, but she was close to betraying the trust he had in her. “Th-This isn’t something… This isn’t exactly what friends do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know.” She could practically hear him laughing from his tone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Promise me this isn’t a joke?” Her eyes were still closed. She was too scared to do anything else. “I-I won’t- I don’t think I’ll be able to handle all of this if this is your way of cheering me up.” Word vomit or not, at least she was being honest and was having a proper conversation with him. The class would kill him if he was messing with her, but at least she could say that her last conversation with Adrien Agreste was one in which she didn’t make a fool of herself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I swear. I gave you my word that I wasn’t going to hurt you. I intend to do my best to keep it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His nose brushed hers! She almost flinched away from surprise but her eyes opened. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><em>Bad idea! Bad idea!</em> She was lost in the green again. She wasn’t sure what to do, but Adrien brushed some of her back behind her ear as he tilted his head…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>How was she supposed to- None of her friends told her Adrien-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien just followed his instincts? He was still new to the whole romance thing. Sure he had been pining for Ladybug for almost 3 years before he gave up, but Kagami didn’t make him feel warm and fuzzy like Ladybug and Marinette. Ladybug was long gone. Marinette felt right. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mari hadn’t stopped him, but he also didn’t want to scare her. “Mari?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hm?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t help stare at her eyes even though their faces were close. “Is it okay if I-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh huh.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The subtle nod confirming her response was just enough for him to close the small gap between them.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The only boy she had kissed was Chat Noir. Once to break a spell and the other time she had no recollection of it even though there was a photo of it so she didn't have anything else to compare it to. But she wasn’t complaining. Her head was spinning around. It was longer than the kiss she had given him the day before, but it was just enough to make her toes curl.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien had no recollection of either of the kisses he had had with Ladybug. He was sure they were nice, but for this being the first kiss he would remember, he was happy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neither knew what to say after it ended. What do you say after a magical kiss with one of your friends?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What had she done! </span>
  </em>
  <span>For some reason she had forgotten about the one person that would be hurt if, when, she found out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A-Adrien?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s wrong?!” Adrien began to panic. She didn’t like the kiss? “D-Did I hurt you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No! No. I’m not hurt.” Despite how flushed her face was, she needed to sort things out before she tried anything else. “It’s just… This isn’t fair to Kagami. If- If both of us want this to happen again, Kagami needs to know how you truly feel.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You- You’re right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Th-this makes me happy. It’s- it’s something I’ve been dreaming about since I fell for you, but I want to do this properly. I’m not saying nothing can’t or won’t happen. I-I just think we should wait a bit before we continue.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I understand.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We should-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Two phones buzzing cut off Marinette.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Looks like Nino hasn’t gone to sleep. He’s asking if we’re planning on camping out here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What’s going on girl? Just what are you and the Sunshine boy doing up there? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Marinette couldn’t help but blush. Alya had several nicknames for Adrien. Sunshine boy being one she hoped he never found out about. “Um, we should get some sleep...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right. How about I walk you to your room, er, window?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Both the designer and model were quiet as they crept down the fire escape, roses in hand. Adrien held Marinette’s hand on the way down with the excuse that she would probably trip. Not that she was complaining. She was a big klutz around Adrien.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just before they reached her window, Marinette stopped. “Adrien?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes Marinette?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I-I didn’t expect tonight to end like this, but I’m happy. I’ll see you in the morning.” She leaned up to give him a quick kiss. “G-Good night.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sweet dreams.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He watched her climb through the open window. Just as he passed by it to head to his room, Alya stuck her head out. “If you hurt her-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re going to wait, Alya. Marinette can explain. You just have to promise to keep it a secret. I have some things I need to take care of first.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine, but when it’s official, we’re having a talk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Deal.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bye bye, cinnamon roll.” With that, the window to the girls’ room closed</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>As soon as Alya closed the door, she dragged her best friend to the bed. "What happened up there?! You were gone for a while. You definitely didn't just stay silent. I caught the goodnight kiss by the window on camera."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Alya! What? Were you spying on me?" Marinette tried not to yell. She didn't want to wake up Chloé.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm not going to send it to the class. Adrien said he wanted things to be a secret?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"He's doing so because I asked him to." She whispered. As happy as she was, she was conscious of what had happened. It wouldn't be fair to start a relationship if the people that had crushes on them didn't find out first from them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Why?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lying down, she hugged her pillow. "I found out that he isn't dating Kagami, but he's never attempted to clarify whatever was going on between them. I told him what happened that day with Hearthunter and Miracle Queen just like I told you and the girls. He's so caring, Al." Her voice was cracking… </span>
  <em>
    <span>Breathe… You don't have to cry.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"He apologized. He didn't do anything and he apologized for hurting me! He said he wanted to talk to me again once we're home. He wiped my tears away, promising he'd spend lunch with me. At first I thought he meant only as friends, but he said he never wanted to hurt me again. That's when I knew it was something else. My brain was all over the place!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Ladyblogger couldn't help but giggle. "Remember to breathe, girl."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I said I'd have the passionfruit macarons for him. And then I started panicking. His face was so close, Alya! You know how I get lost in his eyes? Next thing I know, I'm asking him if he knows that what he's doing isn't a ‘just friends’ thing. He reassured me he wasn't joking and asked me if I was okay. He was so gentle… He was going to ask me if he could kiss me, but I said yes before he finished asking."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm a proud mother now. And?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"And? What?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You're killing me, Mar!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I didn't want it to end, Als." Marinette hid her face in her pillow. "But I had to put a stop to it. I love him, but I want this to be right. No secrets or lies."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"If he hurts you-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't you dare!" Marinette sat up. Sure if things ended horribly with Adrien she'd be devastated, but at least she wouldn't live with regret for not trying.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's my job to protect you from jerks who break your heart."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Adrien’s not one of them. You've known him long enough to know that."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I have to be prepared." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Alya? What if this is too good to be true?" Now that she thought about it, what if she hurt him? He couldn't know about her being Ladybug. At least not now. Maybe she should-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Chillax, girl. You just kissed the most eligible boy in all of Paris. Whatever doubts you're thinking about can wait until later. You need sleep, we have a long day tomorrow."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Taking a deep breath just like Ms. Bustier had taught them in class, Marinette prepared to relax.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Adrien didn't tell Nino much other than that he thought he liked Marinette and needed to talk to Kagami once they returned to Paris. "How am I supposed to say 'Kagami, I'm sorry for leading you on' without her getting akumatized?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't think there's a way dude. It's just a risk you're going to have to take. When you do tell her, maybe make sure Marinette isn't around, just in case."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Guess you're right. I hope she takes it okay. Kagami knew I wasn't sure about how I felt."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"If you aren't going to rush things with Marinette, then you should just tell Kagami that you think you like Marinette so you want time make sure about how you feel. If she asks why, just say that the trip made you notice Marinette. In the meantime you can just hang out with Mari without stressing out."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien could see why Ladybug had chosen his best civilian friend to wield the turtle Miraculous. Something about Nino reminded him of Master Fu and his calmness. "Thanks, Nino," he yawned. The exhaustion from the previous day's events was finally catching up to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"See you in the morning." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Soon, both boys were asleep.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>In a very un-Marinette way, the superheroine woke up early. She couldn't sleep. The sun was just about to rise. Knowing she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep, she climbed back to the roof and sent Alya a quick text letting her know where she was. This would give her some time to process everything that had happened just a few hours before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She went from stuttering to confessing to running away, saving New York and kissing her crush in a matter of hours. Surely things would change once she got back to Paris. A part of her was looking forward to lunches with Adrien. Yet a part of her was still keeping her guard up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Could she do it? Be in a romantic relationship while dating a civilian? What if something happened and she had to leave in the middle of a date? What if all her excuses resulted in Adrien not trusting her and he broke up with her? What if he found out she'd lied about her excuses for running off?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>How can she claim that she hates liars when she has acted like them by lying to her friends and family about what does? That was surely hypocritical. What if he connected the spots with the Valentine's Day card she wrote to him a year ago? What if he found out the beret was actually from her?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That beret somehow caused-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The white suit and ice blue eyes flashed in her mind again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was impossible. Sure, Adrien and Chat both had blonde hair and green eyes, but she didn't know what Chat's true eye color was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In that other timeline, Chat knew her name. She apparently was dating him… What if Adrien figured out who she was, broke up with her because he wanted her to be with Chat?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wouldn't do that would he? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course not.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He would choose whatever made his friends happy. He wouldn't force her to pick. There was nothing to worry about.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Except the uncertainty of her lying to the boy she loved!</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Adrien was woken up by Nino. Their phones were going off with texts from Alya. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>To the entire class: </span>
  <em>
    <span>From what I got out of Marinette, nothing happened last night. No one bug them with questions when you see them. And let them sleep! We have a late start today anyways. Nino and I will deal with them.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>To Nino and Adrien: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Nino wake up the Golden Child! </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Marinette’s on the roof by herself. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He has a chance to sneak out and be with her. I just made an opportunity.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Boy, you better not mess this up! And take one of your jackets or sweaters ;)</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nino's phone was going off with replies from the rest of the class. The DJ was chuckling as he put it on silent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Nino, what's everyone saying?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Nothing much. They can't decide what's worse- that you know Marinette likes you and you haven't rejected her, that you know she likes you and you haven't realized your feelings for her or that you know she likes you but you haven't confessed."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Why did he ask? "But I did. Sort of."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I know, and so does Alya. But since you asked us to not say anything about last night, we have to act like we know nothing. That means making everyone think you haven't spoken with Marinette about her confession."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh…" The rather oblivious boy turned red. "Thanks."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Go. We've got this."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Taking one of his sweaters, Adrien made his way up to the roof. As he approached the top, he could hear her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was she crying?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His fears were confirmed as he stepped onto the roof. His Princess was sad about something. Quietly, he placed the sweater on her and wrapped her up in a hug.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One minute she felt nothing but air, the next she felt something be put on her shoulder and arms wrap her in a hug. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Looking up, she wiped away her tears. "Adrien? What are you doing up here? Not that I'm not glad to see you, but… Alya." She couldn't help but give him a shy smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"She let me know. How are you doing? I know it's only been a few hours…"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm awake and not late for once!" She wanted to break the tension and avoid the obvious incoming question. "The skyline here is amazing, but it doesn't beat home."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Marinette?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You're lying."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Pfft. Me lie? Why would I lie? I have nothing to lie about. The boy I'm in love with likes me and kissed me. I'm ecstatic. Sure things have to be quiet for a while, but I can wait! A few more days or weeks are totally-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He briefly kissed her to shut her up. Yes, it was more of a Chat Noir move, but his Princess was obviously freaking out about something. He didn't know what else to do! "Good morning."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Doog Ornming. I mean good morning!" There was the classic Marinette he'd come to care for.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Mari, I won't make you tell me what's on your mind, but if there's something I can do, I want to try and help."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>How was he so… so sweet? Even with everything he'd had to deal with, he was kind, thoughtful and considerate. "It's- I've been thinking."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"About what, if you don't mind me asking?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Just my brain overreacting like usual…" she trailed off. "If- If someone had to keep a secret, something that you couldn't know about because it was the only way to keep you safe, what would you do?" She looked up at him, a small amount of fear in her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was Marinette talking about herself? Did she have something he couldn't know about?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Knowing her like he did, Adrien assumed it was for a specific reason. "If it's someone like Lila for example, then I would be suspicious of the person and the so-called secret. If it's someone I care about, then I'll trust her. She must have a reason for not telling me her secret. If me not knowing will help, then I'll respect that."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That's good." Marinette released a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. No need to worry! Other than for his safety during akuma attacks of course. "I, um, if we start going out on dates and I rush away, d-don't think I'm avoiding or hate the date. It's just that I-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I get it. I have those moments too," he reassured her as he recalled how he'll probably have to skip out on dates too due to akumas. "We'll just pick off where we left off or continue our date some other time."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette didn't say anything. Resting her head on Adrien’s chest, she hugged him, staring out into the distance. The bustle of the New York traffic was a small reminder of Paris. Things weren't over yet. If anything, there was a lot waiting for them back home.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank y'all so much for the support so far! This chapter marks the quarter point of the story. There's almost 40 chapters total in this. If I made the chapters longer, it'd only be about 20.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Marinette wasn't sure what she was going to say when she encountered the rest of the class. They were there when the confession happened. They expected that she would either be heartbroken from rejection, or the happiest girl in the world. If she and Adrien said that they would talk once they were back in Paris, everyone was just going to assume that Adrien was trying to figure out how to reject her as gently as possible. It was obvious to them just how many nights she had spent crying in the weeks after she announced she had given up on the model. As much as she wanted to stay with Adrien in their own world, she knew they had to come up with a story. Who knew how long it'd be before they could be together properly.</p><p>"Adrien, we need to talk."</p><p><em> We need to talk. </em> Adrien froze. He once heard the guys say that when a significant other told you that, it usually wasn't good. Had Marinette changed her mind?</p><p>She must have realized what she said because she spoke softly. "I'm not- We technically aren't together yet so I can't break up with you. I should've realized how that sounded to you. Sorry. I just wanted to talk about how we're going to handle our friends. You know they're going to ask what's going on between us now."</p><p>Ok. So the problem at hand wasn't his big fear. That was good. He could handle this. "Do you have anything in mind?"</p><p>"Considering everything that's happened, I think it's best if we go with the idea that you asked to talk to me after we're back in Paris. That way everyone is left wondering what's going to happen. It also gives you time to talk to Kagami."</p><p>"That sounds reasonable. I just hope no one finds out before we're ready to say anything." Adrien couldn't help but tease Marinette. "You aren't known for being a good liar."</p><p>"Please, no… The last thing I need is a reminder of the- that- witch." </p><p>“Witch?”</p><p>Marinette’s face turned red as she avoided Adrien’s questioning look. “You know who I’m talking about. I don’t need to spell out the pathological liar. I know you told me to take the high road, but…” her voice trailed off as she realized another problem they would have to face.</p><p>“But?”</p><p>
  <em> Breathe. She’s not here. Lila can’t hurt you… Not now at least. Once you’re at school and she realizes she lost Adrien even though he was never hers…. </em>
</p><p>“I- I’m not sure how I’m going to- Even if things with Kagami have been cleared up, I don’t want to go public with our relationship,” she said slowly.</p><p>“Why not?” The blond was confused about Marinette’s sudden change in attitude. “Is this about Luka?”</p><p>“Luka?”</p><p>“Are you worried you’re going to hurt his feelings?”</p><p>Oh kwamis! She had forgotten about Luka! Marinette was starting to panic on the inside. Kagami, Luka <em> and </em> Lila?! “N-No. It’s something else. I-I need to think some things through that I just thought about.”</p><p>Something was obviously up with his Princess, but if she wasn’t going to tell him, he didn’t want to push her.</p><p>“If you do want to talk, just let me know.”</p><p>“Ye-Yeah. I… should head back to my room and get ready. Everyone’s probably going to start waking up soon for breakfast.”</p><p>“Sure.”</p><p>Marinette kissed him on the cheek and headed back alone.</p><p>Adrien wasn’t sure what was going on, but he was going to try and figure out what was going on. Maybe Alya would know? He would have to ask her later…</p><hr/><p>When Marinette returned to her room, she found it empty. Neither Chloé nor Alya were there. On her bed she found a note from the reporter- <em> Everyone was told you were sleeping in. Hope you enjoyed your morning date with the cinnamon roll! ;) </em></p><p>Alya had Marinette’s best interest at heart, but was it the right time to ask her for advice? She'd probably say Marinette was overthinking things and that she was worrying for nothing. And then if she said anything more, Alya would probably get excited. The other girls would notice and then the rest of the guys would probably figure it out. And once they were back home in Paris? Lila would hear about. And Alya believed Lila. For all Marinette knew, Lila could twist things around. No one aside from Adrien believed Lila was lying about her connections and who knows what else. The only ones in class who had connections to famous people were Adrien and…</p><p>“I can’t believe I may have to talk to Chloé about this.” Marinette hit her head on her pillow as she hugged it. “I have to figure out how I’m going to remain friends with Kagami and Luka while facing Lila.” </p><p>Her stomach felt sick. Two people she cared about were going to be hurt because of her happiness. Knowing the sneaking liar, Marinette knew that as soon as Lila got wind that Adrien and Kagami were over, she would try and hurt Kagami while probably claiming Adrien broke up with the fencer in order to be with the liar. Where would that leave Marinette?</p><p>On the sidelines trying to do damage control. She would have to find a way to calm down Alya because the reporter would surely blurt out to the internet that Marinette and Adrien got together in New York. That alone would probably cause a scandal in the school for Marinette. For all she knew, that’d mean possible threats from people who wouldn't want her with Adrien. Lila would probably say something to other models and the press, badmouthing Marinette. If Gabriel Agreste found out from someone other than Adrien that his son was dating an aspiring fashion designer, she surely would be blacklisted from the designing world! She'd be seen as someone only interested in making connections. This was going to be a disaster. Her hopes and dreams were going to vanish before she even got into a university! </p><p>Marinette wasn’t sure what she was going to do. There was so much at stake with starting a relationship with Adrien. Her friends, her family, her reputation, her entire career and future. It wasn’t just her happiness. It was so much more. Could she actually handle what was coming? She couldn’t tell Adrien. He’d try so much to protect her from this. He would feel guilty if she said any of this to him. Then they’d be where they were last night.</p><p>No, she had to do this by herself. This wasn’t an akuma she was facing so it shouldn’t be as difficult. She is Ladybug. If she can face Hawk Moth and not get akumatized even when she’s mad, she can do this!</p><p>Why was she lying to herself? This was going to be a horrible mess. Nothing she would do would be able to fix her friendships. After having come so far these past 2 years, she was going to lose everyone she cared about. She’d only have her family. Grandpa and Nonna would let her stay with them and transfer to a school in their neighborhood. Maman and Papa would be confused but they would respect her decision.</p><p>She couldn't risk hurting 2 people she considered good friends. They had already been akumatized one too many times. And Hawk Moth knew their superhero identities. If they got akumatized again, he might try and use them and the others as leverage at some point. </p><p>This was for the best. She can protect her friends, their friendships and she could protect Adrien… but how was she going to tell him? How was she going to tell him didn't want to be with him?</p><p>The designer was trapped in her thoughts. She hadn’t noticed that she was curled up in a ball shaking, crying and breathing rapidly.</p><p>Were these the sacrifices she heard superheroes have to make in order to protect the world? Were these the things that Master Fu and other Miraculous users had to face when they decided to try and have normal lives? Was her heart supposed to be broken so much that she wanted to run away? Run away back to Paris and not leave her room?</p><p>But Paris needed her. Paris needed her to protect it from Hawk Moth. Her Kitty needed her.</p><p>Her Kitty… Maybe she should have given up on Adrien? What if she had decided to give Chat Noir a chance? Would she feel like this? Would she be worried about hurting her friends? </p><p>Probably not. She would be lying to them still about what she did in her free time but they would understand that she was protecting them. That is if the time came for her to give up the Miracle box and she lost her memories. </p><p>Chat’s the only one that can understand what being a superhero is like. He’s the only that she could trust to not lie about what he did because although they knew each other, she didn’t know the intimate details about his life. She could be secure with him. Maybe she’d grow to be happy with him. She’s known that she could love him if Adrien wasn’t around. If she doesn’t pursue Adrien and breaks up with Luka, would Chat still want to be with her?</p><p>She would have to trust him with her heart.</p><p>There was no else. Maybe Chat really is the one that she was destined to be with, even if her heart was breaking at the thought of being forced to let go of Adrien less than 24 hours after getting her hopes up…</p><p>Marinette felt like she was suffocating and drowning. No matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t be with Adrien. It came back to Chat. Why was the world so cruel? Just when it looked like things would turn around, this had to happen?</p><p>“It’s not fair! It’s not fair! I can’t do this! I can’t!” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Starting next chapter, things start getting a bit darker. If you've read the tags, you already know. </p><p>TW: For those who haven't read the tags, I do want to let you know that there will be anxiety and panic attacks (and some talk of it) beginning with chapter 11. Nothing more serious happens in regard to mental health, but I do want to be courteous and let you know now.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW: So this is where the hints of anxiety and panic attacks begin</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The kwami of Creation and good luck was trying her best to calm down her little Bug. She hadn't seen Marinette breakdown like this since all those weeks ago. Tikki knew the young Guardian was ecstatic about dating Adrien, but had never seen her like this over dealing with Luka, Kagami and Lila. This was one of the times she so wished she was human so she could help her Charge! Unsure of what else to do, Tikki went off to find Plagg.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It didn’t take long. The black cat kwami was munching on cheese while the young boy was asleep alone in the room he shared with Nino.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Plagg! I need your help!” Tikki’s high pitched voice was higher than normal in the “This isn’t good” kind of way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hm? Tikki, can’t you see that I’m enjoying brie? The Americans’ version of camembert is fake and I refuse to eat that impostor. It’s a catastrophe that-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tikki interrupted him. “Ladybug needs your Kitten’s help! She’s panicking about their relationship. I don’t know what she’s thinking. She’s not saying much.” The kwami flew frantically. “I just hear her mumble about how maybe she should have chosen Chat Noir instead. I’m scared Plagg! What if she decides to give up the Guardianship to Chat? Oh, that would be a disaster! I just want to see our kids happy.” Although it had never happened to her while she was entrusted to Marinette, Tikki was crying.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Plagg put his cheese down and hugged his counterpart. “We’ll figure something out, Sugarcube. First we have to wake my Kid up from his catnap.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“O-Okay.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Plagg flew over to Adrien as Tikki hid from view. The black cat used his tail to tickle the boy’s face. At first, Adrien didn’t feel anything, but the more Plagg tickled him, the more he squirmed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Plagg, I already fed you cheese. I already apologized about the camembert. You can’t expect me to-” The kwami hadn’t complained about his cheese. What was going on. “Plagg…. What’s going on?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You should go talk to Pigtails.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ma-Marinette,” he yawned as he sat up. ‘“Hm? Why?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you think she was acting funny when she left?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You mean about what was on her mind? Not really. She’s always been nervous around me. I’m not going to pressure her into saying something when she clearly doesn’t want to talk about it right now. I have to earn her trust.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As a friend, don’t you already have her trust?” the kwami argued. “You can actually talk to her about your personal life and she can talk to you about hers.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s probably asleep. I’m not going to have Alya wake her up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Who said anything about getting the reporter girl? Why don’t you use the window? You sure seem to like to visit her window back in Paris.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What was up with Plagg insisting he visit Marinette now of all times? “I can’t just sneak into Mari’s room. Do you know how much trouble we would be in if we were caught? What my father would do to me would be worse than what the school would give out as a punishment.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine.” Plagg was going to have to change tactics. His Sugarcube needed his help. The things he did for her! “But I was out looking for more cheese and I heard a lot of crying coming from your Princess’s room. If the reporter girl and the spoiled girl are with your friends, who does that leave that can stay in that room?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was Plagg </span>
  <em>
    <span>spying</span>
  </em>
  <span> on his class? “Plagg… What. Did. You. Do?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing. You know I have a heightened sense of hearing. Of course I know which of your friends are staying with who. I told you I heard crying while looking for cheese.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Alya and Chloé were downstairs. Plagg was right. That left only Marinette as the one Plagg heard crying. “Maybe you’re right, but this doesn’t change the fact that you need to stop sneaking out where I can’t see you. What if someone saw you? Half the class has seen a kwami. If you’re here they’ll find out who Chat Noir is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe prepare better cheese for when I don’t have my beloved camembert around and I won’t have to go looking for precious cheese.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, sure. Stay in my pocket while I go check up on Marinette.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The kwami did as he was told. Tikki quickly headed back to Marinette.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Marinette couldn’t stop the crying or the shaking. She had wrapped herself in a blanket and was oblivious to Tikki’s absence when the door to her room opened. Unsure of what to do, she covered herself with the blanket and tried to hide. She wanted to be far away where no one could see her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Marinette,” Alya said in a teasing tone. “Someone’s here to see you…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The designer tried to remain still as she fought the shaking in silence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Marinette? Are you in here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No response.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe she went back to the roof, Adrien?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She wasn’t there. I heard her through the window on my way up to the roof. At first I thought it was coming from another room but I heard her on the way down. I didn’t knock on the window because I didn’t want to scare her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If she’s not in here, where could she be?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe she’s hiding?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where would she…” Alya’s eyes scanned the room. “You have a point.” The curled up ball that was Marinette had been spotted. “Marinette, are you okay? What’s-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just leave me alone! I don’t want to talk to you, Alya! You won’t believe me so what does it matter?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mari, of course I’ll believe you! You’re my bff.” Had her friend snapped?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You won’t! I’m going to lose Kagami and Luka as my friends. I can’t be together with Adrien. I’ll lose everyone I care for. I can’t be with Adrien! The one person who can understand what I’m going through isn’t here and I can’t contact them until I’m back home. I just want to go home!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Alya looked up at Adrien to silently ask, </span>
  <em>
    <span>What is she talking about?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien just shrugged in response. He wasn’t sure what to do. His Princess was obviously hurt, but he had no clue what caused her to be in the current state she was. He owed Plagg a huge wheel of camembert as soon as they got home. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He slowly approached the bed Marinette was curled on and crouched down to face her. “Mari?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry Adrien. I’m sorry! But- but it can’t, it won’t work out. You- You should just focus on Kagami and make her happy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Marinette, what’s going? I don’t understand where this is coming from." He shared a look of worry with Alya. "I think we should get one of the teachers…"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No! I'm fine. I'm fine." Shaking, Marinette sat up and tried to control her breathing. "No need to get the teachers. I'll head down with everyone else." Avoiding both her friends, she climbed off the bed on the opposite side, grabbed her purse, put on her shoes and tried her best to walk steadily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wasn’t sure what happened, but Marinette didn’t want to talk about it so she wiped away any remaining tears and tried her best to smile. No one else had suspected anything and attributed the exhausted look to the events from the day before. When asked about her status with Adrien, she gave her classmates a simple, "He said he wants to talk once we're in Paris. Either way, I'm going to let him go."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They expected the former answer, but not the latter part of it. A round of "What?!" echoed in response.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I have a lot of things I need to focus on and I can't let a one-sided crush get in the way anymore. Even if he were to like me back, I'd have to deal with an added layer of stress that I don't have the energy for. I already became a target when certain people came and once other stuff happened." She mentally recalled the wax museum, Jagged Stone in her room, the beret, and the pjs and movie incidents. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't think I'm ready to handle that kind of pressure. Besides, people are going to come after me saying that I'm only interested in Adrien because his father is a designer. Even though that's not the case, and Adrien knows too, Adrien shouldn’t have to tarnish his reputation for a family of bakers. His father would be furious and then Adrien will be out of our lives forever. I know none of us want to lose him as a classmate and friend. I'm saying this as the friend that I am. My personal feelings shouldn't be considered when it comes to making sure we can keep having Adrien in our lives."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No one knew what to say. Something in Marinette’s demeanor had changed. Usually she was cheerful, optimistic and patient. Now? She was being blunt and cold. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chloé could tell Dupain-Cheng had lost it. "Ridiculous. Utterly, ridiculous. Are. You. Freaking. Kidding me? You expect me to believe that overnight you gave up on Adrien? Puh-lease. You're lying to us and to yourself. I may not like you Dupain-Cheng, but I at least haven't become a liar like other people we know."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The comparison to Lila was the breaking of the rubberband. "Don't compare me to that pathological liar!" Marinette’s voice cracked as she fought the urge to scream. "Don't you dare. We all know I'm horrible at lying. If I was lying do you think I'd be fighting my heart over this? Do you think I'm happy to do this? After everything everyone's done for me, their support, their encouragement, do you think I gave him up that easily? Do you think I made this decision without thinking about the consequences, Chloé? I'm doing this so we don't lose Adrien. He's done nothing wrong and it's our job as his friends to help him however we can.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You don't know me. Even my best friends don't know me as well as they think they do. It's always 'Marinette, can you help us with this? Can you do this or that? Thanks for your help! Can you cover for me?' I'm always the back-up help in someone's life. I never get a chance to do something for myself. I try my best to help the people I care about, but they're all wrapped around the finger of that witch. You perfectly well know who I'm talking about Chloé. Your friend told me to take the high road. That got me expelled and by some miracle, we 'found out' the witch had a lying disease, and that got me back into school. I didn't even push her! And we know I would never cheat on an exam. I had </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be jealous about."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A cold laugh escaped Marinette’s lips as she fought the flood of tears. "All she's done is make my life hell since she arrived. She's hurt me. It wasn't just verbally. She's lied about </span>
  <em>
    <span>so many things</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It's not even funny. Rose can just call Prince Ali to confirm information we're told. When has that liar actually come through with her so-called 'promises' about connecting you all to famous people? Excuse after excuse is made and no one questions it! I do commissions for Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale. I have their management on speed dial. You all know Jagged has Fang because he's allergic to cats. We've heard him tell us.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"She caused Kagami to get akumatized by taking a picture with Adrien. Without his consent. Can't you all see how uncomfortable he is around her? She's way too clingy and trying to force herself onto him. She's the reason why Adrien was pulled out of school the first time during the book incident! She stole the book from him and threw it in the trash with no care. I found the book and returned it to Mr. Agreste without telling anyone because I knew we all missed Adrien and wanted him back. I took the blame for that because I couldn't imagine where we'd be without him. I did that without bringing attention to myself. Without bragging about it. Without anyone asking me to help! </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"He doesn't know that I made his favorite scarf he got for his 14th birthday. I forgot to sign the card that day. I don't know why he thinks his dad made it, but I'm not going to tell him it was actually from me. I'm not going to tell him because the present means so much coming from his dad. And we all know how horrible his father is. All Adrien wants is his father's love and affection and the man doesn't give a damn about his son who works so hard to make the guy proud. He has the beret I made for his 5th name day, and again, I forgot to sign the card. A friend of mine delivered it, telling him it was from fans of his. I couldn’t tell him it was me. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm just a friend. The one that stays behind and watches how everyone else is getting to follow their dreams. The one who's never asked for anything in return. I did it because Adrien’s my friend. And that's all I ever will be. I did it as the supportive friend I am. I did it because I care more about the person than the model. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"The model has a fake smile when he's uncomfortable or unsure. The real Adrien has a smile that reaches his eyes. The real Adrien laughs with you, not at you. He listens patiently even when you stumble over your words. He watches out for you and tries his best to help. He knows that he still has things to learn when it comes to interacting with people his own age, but he's always asking how he can help. He tries to cheer you up and support your dreams. He apologizes for hurting you even if he didn’t hurt you. He promises he's going to have lunch with you when he can. He gives you his umbrella on a rainy day…"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thunder rumbled in the distance as lightning flashed. A storm was brewing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A flashback to the day. Upon remembering that moment, that instant she fell for him… The day she met both blond boys…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As much as she loved Adrien, only Chat knew her. Only he could understand her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She needed to go home. She needed to find her Kitty. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But she couldn’t just transform and leave. She couldn't just portal home. It's not like she can just open a door…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Doorman! </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She ran. She ran to where she knew Dean Gate worked. Doorman could get her home in an instant.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I know that there is concern about Marinette’s wellbeing. Aside from panic attacks, things don't take a darker turn. Do have patience with this plot. It's a slow burn for Adrienette/Ladynoir, but there is a happy ending</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Marinette was gone again. No one stopped her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>To say Adrien was shocked was the least.  He was confused, sad, heartbroken and yet a small part of him was happy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn't know what Marinette was thinking or going through, but-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The storm caught his attention. He first apologized to Marinette on a rainy day. He left her and found her on a different rainy day. And this storm?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His heart ached more than when Ladybug turned him down. This storm made the pain worse. If he could cry, the storm would be those tears. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He needed to go after her, but he didn't have a clue where to start.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had so much to say, but he wasn’t sure if there were enough words to express how he felt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette was his Princess. His everyday Ladybug. He was her everyday Chat Noir. He needed to save her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He knows Marinette is more than capable of taking care of herself (she's proven that before). But the way she was acting reminded him of Ladybug whenever she began doubting herself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now he had to think. Marinette was hiding something. She's probably scared or under a lot of stress over something in regards to their possible future relationship. He had heard her remarks. She mentioned Lila in all but name. No one had seemed to catch onto that. She knows when he's faking a smile… She's done so much and gotten so little in return. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She ran off fairly quickly, as if she wanted to be anywhere but here. She probably wanted to be alone, but not in a place that was foreign to her. She'd want someplace familiar. Like her home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But there's no way to instantly go back to Paris unless you had a portal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He ran back upstairs and knocked on Jess' and Aeon's door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What’s the rush, Adrien?" Jess answered. She looked slightly annoyed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Can't explain. I need to get to Doorman before Marinette."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Why?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"She-She- I can't lose her. I don't know what happened. We were fine a while ago, but all of a sudden she changed her mind. I'm worried something's going to happen to her. Going to Doorman </span>
  <em>
    <span>would</span>
  </em>
  <span> allow her to go back to Paris quickly."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't tell me she ran off."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Marinette ran away again? Is she hurt?" Aeon inquired. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That's- That's what I think she's going to try to do."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Out the window then," said Jess as she pointed to it. "It'll be faster that way."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Huh?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pulling him to the window, Aeon mentions, "Just trust us." In a flash, there stood Uncanny Valley and Eagle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"If we have to fly, fine. But we need to hurry." </span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>Marinette somehow managed to make it without getting too lost. Fortunately Mr. Gate wasn’t busy with a tour so she was able to stop him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Mr. Gate, I need your help returning to Paris."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Recognizing the frantic girl from the French class, he listened. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened that requires my assistance?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>How was Marinette supposed to explain her fear and panic? "I-I miss my home. I miss my parents and my grandparents. I can't stay here. I can't."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her breathing was becoming shallow and rapid. She couldn't freak out here. Not here!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Mr. Gate, please." A tiny voice called out. "If she can't calm down, Paris will be in grave danger." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You are...?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm Tikki. I'm a friend of Liiri and of Ladybug"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The superhero recognized the word </span>
  <em>
    <span>Liiri,</span>
  </em>having met Jess' new companion the night before. "Very well. Come this way."
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tikki was able to nudge a hyperventilating Marinette towards Mr. Gate who had now transformed into Doorman. Through some coaxing, Tikki managed to give Doorman the address to the Dupain-Cheng bakery. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In an instant, the entrace to home was in front of Marinette. "Thank you sir. Please don't tell anyone about Tikki. It's for your safety too." With that, Marinette ran up the stairs and rushed to open the door to her haven. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tikki didn't even wait for Marinette to get her keys. The kwami unlocked the door and closed it as Marinette rushed to her bed, transformed and held onto her Chat Noir plushie.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ladybug was frantic as she went out the roofs looking for her Kitty. "Ch-Chat if you, if you're not busy, I need to talk to you. I'm scared and I'm not sure why. I could really use my Kitty. Talking to my Chat plushie isn't the same. I miss you. I love you." She left him the voicemail, hoping he'd answer soon.</span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>The entire class soon found out Marinette was back in Paris, but she hadn't been seen by her parents. Tom and Sabine were confused and scared. Why did their daughter come home crying, but didn't come to them? From what Alya told them, Marinette had finally confessed to Adrien, who liked Marinette back. Something changed her mind in the morning, but the reporter and model didn't know why. Their daughter was hurting…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien wanted to transform, fly to Paris, find Lila and whoever hurt his Princess, and Cataclysm them. Sure Ladybug would be pissed, but it's either that or he gets akumatized. Bugaboo would allow it. He never understood why, but Ladybug made him swear he would never allow himself to be akumatized or else she was doomed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finding out Marinette was in Paris was both good and bad. She made it back home, but she couldn’t be found. He was stuck across the ocean and he couldn't do anything other than let Marc and other people know. There'd be a search party started if she didn't go home by sunset which would be in less than 3 hours in Paris.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The trip had been cancelled early and they were flying. 8 hours of not knowing where Marinette was. Why couldn’t they just walk through Doorman's door? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The plane ride was stressful. Everyone kept waiting for updates, but so far nothing. Adrien tried to sleep, but a message on his tablet caught his attention</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kagami: </span>
  <em>
    <span>I heard that your class is on their way back to Paris because Marinette is missing. How are you doing?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What was he supposed to type- I don't love you. I kissed Marinette. I want to be with her but she rejected me? Now wasn’t the time for that. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It's complicated. Everyone’s worried. What if something happens to her?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kagami: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Marinette’s smart and clever. I'm sure she'll be ok. I can’t help look for her, but I was able to convince my mother to let me wait at the Dupain-Cheng bakery to accompany her parents.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>That's good. But she’s never done anything like this. As far as anyone remembers, yes, she can get nervous, but she's never freaked out so much. We're not sure what happened.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kagami: </span>
  <em>
    <span>I hope she comes back safe and sound. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Me too.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He ended the conversation with that. He wanted to add </span>
  <em>
    <span>She means a lot to me</span>
  </em>
  <span> but guessed that Kagami would take it the wrong way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He prayed to Ladybug’s good luck that Marinette would be found...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was going to be late by the time they arrived. It took awhile to get out of the airport. Adrien somehow convinced Nathalie to let him crash at Nino’s. The DJ and everyone in the class went home to drop off their stuff and begin looking for their friend. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After sneaking away from the group, Adrien transformed. He was surprised to see so many voicemails from Ladybug. She didn't sound well. And she said that she loved him. What was up with that? His staff showed she was online.</span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>It had been hours and no response from Chat. Maybe he was still in New York? But she'd need the horse Miraculous and she didn't want to go back home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was too nervous to eat. She'd managed to drink some water throughout the afternoon and evening. She stuck to rooftops for the most part to avoid being seen. It was exhausting, but her brain just wouldn't shut up and leave her alone. Tikki managed to distract her every so often, but not for long. Chat plushie was soaked from crying, but he brought her some comfort. When transformed she'd leave Chat some voicemails about whatever was on her mind. It helped if she focused on his voice… She'd watch his interviews on the Ladyblog. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She ran across the interview with Nadja Chamack. The one before she was akumatized into Prime Queen. As annoyed as she still was about it, seeing the two photos of her kissing Chat wasn't so bad anymore. Sure she only remembered one, but maybe…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her yo-yo went off. He was calling!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Chat?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Ladybug, what happened? Are you alright?!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I-I don't know. I don't know how to explain it. I'm fine physically. I'm just really, really nervous and it won't go away Chat."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Stay put Bug. I'm on my way."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The superheroine clutched her plushie as she waited. Her Kitty was safe and he was home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Soon she saw his green eyes. Standing up, she ran towards him. "Chat!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chat was taken aback by the sudden, tight hug he was receiving. "Hey, Bugaboo. Missed me?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"P-Please don't leave. You're the only one I can trust."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hugged her back confused. "I won't, but I don't understand what's going on. Did someone hurt you?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No." She shook her head as the waterworks fell. "I-I was doing well today. I was happy, but I-I got to thinking and then I couldn't stop being nervous."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What were you thinking about?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"The boy I liked told me liked me, but I don't want to be with him."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Why not? Is he a jerk? Do I have to go Cataclysm him?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shook her head. "N-No. He's sweet, gentle, caring, supportive. He reminds me of you, just without the stupid puns." She cracked a smile that didn't reach her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So what's wrong?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No matter which way I look at it, things won't work out between us. There's too many things that would hurt me, and a lot of people that would try and hurt him."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"But you love him don't you? Isn't he worth fighting for?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"N-Not if it means that two people we both consider friends get akumatized. It's… complicated. One friend likes me and the other friend likes him. We're sort of in unofficial relationships with these people. They knew that the boy and I liked each other and were trying to forget, but- but stuff happened and he- he confessed and for a few hours I was the happiest girl in the world, but when I considered everything… It won't work out."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sorry Bugaboo. I wish there was something I could do to make the pain go away."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You being here is helping." Her eyes showed just how vulnerable she was. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Did my plushie not work?" he responded looking at the inanimate mini version of himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"He's not you. He may bring me some comfort, but he can't take the place of my loyal, brave, protective, selfless and amazing partner." She looked up at him and scratched him behind the fake ears. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she ran her fingers through his hair, Chat couldn't help but purr. Ladybug smiled up at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Feeling better?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"The butterflies are still there, but I don't feel sick anymore."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"A little improvement goes a long way."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Mhm."  The spotted heroine wasn't sure what she was doing, but if her head was telling her to trust herself. This shouldn't go wrong. "Chat, can you close your eyes?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Uh, sure M'Lady." The black cat hero had no clue what was going on. (He was enjoying the head scratches, okay?) But he trusted his Lady.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ladybug stop petting Chat's head and quickly kissed him on the lips. With a flushed face she stepped back and hid her face behind her gloved hands as the plushie fell to the ground.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chat Noir had not expected a kiss! How was he supposed to handle this? "Bugaboo?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I-I don't trust, I can't trust anyone else Kitty."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"But you don't love me." Taking her hands away from his face, he gently held her. "I don't know what exactly happened in your personal life, but you're scared Bugaboo. I don't know what it is that you're running away from, but no matter what, I have you back. But you don't love me the same way you love the boy in your personal life."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I can't- I don't love him. He's just a friend to me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"And I'm just a friend to you. I'll be here for you in whatever way I can, but if things were different maybe I-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I get it." She stepped away from him as if she'd been burned. Was this how he felt when she rejected him so many times? "I-I have to go. See you in the next patrol Chat." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She swung away before her partner could respond.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Poor little Kitties all alone on the roof…</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Anxiety and how it manifests can vary from person to person. I'm not a medical expert, but I do have anxiety myself so seeing Marinette at the end of s3's finale hit close to home. When I started the fic, I had an idea of what was going to happen, but inspiration came from an unexpected place and thus resulted in Marinette’s story of trying to find herself within this fic.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Why hadn't she been akumatized yet? Was Hawk Moth not in Paris? With all the heartache, fear and pain she had been bottling up for the last 10 hours or so, why wasn't she causing chaos? This would be a perfect time to hand over her earrings.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her Kitty didn't want her and she couldn't be with Adrien. Was this how her life was supposed to go? Since Bunnyx hadn't shown up, she guessed this must be going as planned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wondered across the rooftops for a while more with no goal in mind. She tried to zone out everything, including her yo-yo ringing (probably Chat calling). It wasn't until she neared her neighborhood that she heard the cries of "Marinette!" from below.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Chat tried to call LB as he searched for his Princess. Stopping to put away the Chat plushie in his room, before continuing the search, he was eventually forced to detransform as he had run out of food for Plagg so the search continued by foot.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Where could she have gone?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sticking to the shadows, Ladybug saw her friends gather in front of the school.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We've tried looking inside the school, at her favorite restaurants, her favorite drawing spots and even talked to André. I'm scared something happened." Alya was a mess. So much searching and not a single trace! Nino had been with her since they left New York and they weren't sure where else to look.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Jean Jacques said she didn't stop at the hotel."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"My dad said he'll put in a report tomorrow if things don't change."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Ondine said word has spread to a lot of the school."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh great! The last thing we need is a betting pool with the idiots who are going to try and guess why Mari ran off."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Marc's with some of the other students but no luck yet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We can't give up! Marinette’s always had our backs."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the class continued their discussion, one of the teachers approached them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Ms. Bustier!" Her students formed a big group hug. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm glad all of you made it back safely. I know things aren't going the way we hoped, but why don't we record a video message for Marinette?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How will that help?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It might be the thing that she needs to be reminded that she's not alone and there are people that care about her." Adrien had finally caught up with the group. "When you all did the same thing for me, it cheered me up."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Your message doesn't have to be long. It can be short, but the goal of this is to show Marinette that we care about her," Ms. Bustier said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"She did kind of put us on blast back at the hotel in New York…"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, did something happen?" Ms. Bustier inquired.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So the class recapped Marinette’s sudden change in attitude, her outburst, her running out and how an American hero accidentally helped their friend run away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I can't imagine what she’s going through, but it sounds like Marinette's had a lot of things going on. She must feel unappreciated and under a lot of pressure from the expectations set on her by everyone around her."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What I don't get," said Kim, "is who she was talking about. Obviously she was referring to a girl, but she was never mentioned by name. Just something about her lying?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Marinette doesn't trust any of us to help her," Adrien said defeated. "I know exactly who she's talking about. I told her to take the high road. Instead of supporting her, I left her alone. She tried to warn you all, but you won't listen. I should've supported Mari better. It might not have been easy, but then she wouldn't be alone."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Getting her phone out and recording herself, Alya began. "Mari, wherever you are, I'm sorry for not being the best friend you deserve. I know words won't make up for whatever things I did to screw up, but I wish you would come home. We miss you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One by one, the other 11 students, and Ms. Bustier, recorded their messages. Adrien had a difficult time keeping it together. "...I love you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Alya texted the final cut to Marinette’s phone. There wasn't much left to do other than wait. They eventually had to split off to go back home. No one was likely to get to sleep, but they wouldn’t be allowed to keep searching by themselves.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Adrien, Nino and Alya ended up at the Dupain-Cheng household. Adrien had completely forgotten that Kagami was there. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Luka was there too. Just his luck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kagami tried to hug him in comfort, but he froze. Had he already moved past her and onto Marinette so quickly? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This wasn't the time or place to have this conversation, but it had to be done. Kagami deserved to know what happened. He just wasn't sure about Luka. Marinette was worried about how he'd react. The rocker was more laidback about his relationship, but that didn't mean it would be any easier to call it quits.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Kagami," remembering how she always commented on his indecisiveness, Adrien knew he had to get to the point. "I need to talk to you and Luka."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Getting a hunch about what was to be discussed, Sabine quickly asked. "Alya, Nino, why don't you help Tom and I prepare some snacks for you to take home? They're downstairs."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The couple followed the Dupain-Chengs down to the bakery so that the trio would have privacy in the living room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien wasn’t sure how to start. "I know this isn't the best time for this, but I would rather you hear it from me rather than someone else. I know we weren't in New York for long, but after after the things that happened, I realized-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kagami beat him to it. "You finally realized how you truly feel?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah…" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I understand. I've known all along this could change. I wish you both the best." Kagami pulled out her phone and began typing. It was likely a message to her driver to come and pick her up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So something did happen Adrien?" Luka asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Marinette confessed that she still has feelings for me, but I was the one who kissed her. She- She wanted to wait before anything happened because she was worried how you and Kagami would take the news. She doesn't want to lose either of you as friends. She's scared you'll be akumatized…"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Marinette has always put her friends above herself. I knew  going into this that she was still trying to make a decision," Luka admitted. "It'll take some time, but I'll be fine. I'm glad you both finally found each other."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Thanks, but nothing's going to happen. Mari told everyone in our class that she no longer loves me. She only sees me as a friend. She didn't realize I was there. When we find her, I'm going to give her her space. If she doesn't want me in her life, I'll respect that decision. It hurts a lot but she means everything to me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That doesn't sound like Marinette," said Kagami. "Did something happen to change her mind?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That's what our friends and I are wondering. At first she wanted to give us a chance but then the next time I saw her, she looked scared. She was more nervous than usual for her."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Did Lila threaten her again?" asked Luka.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Lila? Threaten Marinette?" This was news to Adrien. He knew the liar had caused his friend trouble, but to actually try and hurt her… He had to remember to keep his rage under control. He didn’t want to be akumatized. "She never told me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The guitarist responded. "She let it slip one afternoon when she had a rough day. She’s trying to keep to herself to avoid a confrontation and to make sure her relationship with the rest of the class isn’t broken even more."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm an idiot," was all Adrien could say as he heard Luka. "I really shouldn’t have told her to take the high road. I just made things worse."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You're not an idiot," Kagami reassured him. "You may not be as aware about society, but you have a good heart. You care about your friends. That speaks more about you than Lila's lies. She's hurt more than one person."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I wish I knew how to fix this. Marinette shouldn't have had to face this by herself."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"When she comes back you can talk with her and ask her. Focusing on the 'I should have's doesn’t help."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sorry about this. About all of this. I know you neither or probably wanted to hear about what happened-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Adrien, what’s important right now is that Marinette comes back safely. We'll have time later to sort through this. It’s getting late and I need to go. My driver is here," Kagami said as she looked at her phone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I should get going too. I'll walk with you. Hang in there Adrien. Don't give up on her. I'll try looking for her on my way home too." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With two waves good-bye, Adrien was alone.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Ladybug didn't need to check her phone. Not when she had heard the messages in person. It was obvious her classmates felt bad about what had happened. Yet she still didn’t want to face them. Not when they had turned their backs on her by enabling a liar. They felt sorry, but they hadn't realized who she talked about. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Only Adrien knew. Only he knew and he showed remorse. She couldn't tell about Chloé, but if even </span>
  <em>
    <span>she</span>
  </em>
  <span> felt the need to apologize, then the bully must have a heart. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The beeping of her earrings caught her attention. She was going to have to go home. She wasn't sure if she had any food left for Tikki.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Reluctantly, she swung down, unsure of what to do. She could continue walking but she was tired. She just wanted to go home. But going home meant questions. Questions she didn't want to answer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The streets were empty and dark. Lamp posts and the moonlight were the only thing making the area visible. As she crossed the street to the park, the transformation dropped. As Tikki floated, Marinette held the kwami close. "Thank you Tikki. I'll let you rest now." She gently placed the kwami in her purse.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wandered through the park. The fountain brought back memories of her pj non-date and the countless photoshoots she saw. The carousel was where she saw her best friend trapped in icicles during the early days of superheroing. The benches was where she's had lunch countless of times with her classmates…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she continued the walk, more memories flooded her mind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then there was the statue. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The accidental trouble she had caused that day was bittersweet. The things she did back then for Adrien…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She sat down and rested against the statue's base.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was so exhausted from running, but it was all she could do. She didn't want to lose her friends over her decisions. Staying away was better wasn't it? Maybe the American team of superheroes could let her stay for a bit while she figured out what she would do? She could take the Miracle box with her. Hawk Moth wouldn't expect her to risk going back to New York. As far as he knew, there'd only be one Miraculous there. She could Portal to Paris! Yeah, that should work. Tomorrow she'll sneak back into her room and get the box…</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Kagami and Luka had left a while ago. Tom and Sabine decided to walk Adrien, Nino and Alya home. It served as another chance to keep looking for their daughter. Neither parent had said much. What could they say? Their daughter had run away instead of coming to them for help? Had they failed as parents?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The 5 cut through the park. It wouldn’t hurt to look there again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien wished he could transform. His heightened hearing would definitely let him know if his Princess was nearby. He opted to let Plagg go ahead of him. The darkness provided just enough cover for the kwami to blend in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Plagg would be able to sense if Tikki was nearby. He missed his Sugarcube. Teasing his Kitten about Marinette isn't fun when he's so heartbroken. Hopefully they'd be happy-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sensing Tikki's energy nearby, the black cat headed towards it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In front of the statue dedicated to their alter-egos, there was Ladybug in her civilian form. Quietly approaching, Plagg could see that she was sleeping. That's good. Phasing into her purse, he saw Tikki was also resting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Out the purse and into the air, Plagg figured there was only one way to get Adrien’s attention. "Meow." Plagg hated having to act like an actual cat (even though he was the best one in the world). "Meow." He was floating near the humans. "Meow."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catching onto Plagg’s cryptic form of communication, Adrien approached with a "I just want to make sure the cat isn't hurt. My father won't let me have pets, but I like cats."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Meow." The kwami wasn't given enough credit for the things he did. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Closer and closer he floated near the statue until-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Marinette?!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien ran. Alya and Nino tried to keep up as Sabine and Tom trailed at the end.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There asleep in front of the statue was Marinette. The exhaustion had finally caught up with her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was safe! Relief washed over them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Should she be taken to the hospital?" Alya asked. "What if she's hurt?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sabine and I will take her while she's still sleeping. Marinette’s a deep sleeper so she shouldn't feel too much during the car ride."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Can we stay please? I don't want to leave her," Alya pleaded. "I know it's late and we have school tomorrow, but I'm not going to be able to focus knowing what happened. I'll call my parents and everything!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Nino tried to reason with his girlfriend, Adrien carefully picked up the designer and cradled her. Her breaths were rapid and shaky. Could she be having a nightmare?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"If I hadn’t kissed her she wouldn't have felt pressured to make a decision. It's my fault," he said as his voice cracked. "Maybe if I had realized how I felt about her sooner…"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom patted the boy on the back. "All we can do now is move forward, son. I think everyone is blaming a part of themselves for this, but it won't stop us from caring for Marinette."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't want to lose her." </span>
  <em>
    <span>She means a lot to me.</span>
  </em>
  <span> "I don't think you and Ms. Cheng are to blame, sir. Any kid would be lucky to have parents like you." </span>
  <em>
    <span>My own parents are either dead or dead inside.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You're always welcomed into our home Adrien. Doesn't matter what's happened, our door is open if you need a place to stay. Now, how about we get going?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Y-yeah."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>The three teens stayed throughout the night. Alya and Nino were passed out on the couch in Marinette’s room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien could barely sleep a wink. He sent the message in the group chat (that fortunately didn't have Lila) that Mari was at the hospital- dehydrated and asleep, but no physical damage from what the doctors found. The chat kept ringing every so often with someone asking for an update. They wanted to see their friend. Adrien understood their desperation, but he wasn't about to take a picture of Mari. That was creepy. It would be something he'd expect from Lila.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Damn it! He kept dwelling on the info Luka shared. Lila threatened Marinette. He put up with Lila in order to protect Mari and yet she hurt his friend. He had to find a way to make it up to Marinette.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Plagg hadn't said anything, but he purred. It wasn't much, but it helped Adrien stay a bit calm.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Her body felt heavy. She was tired and she hadn't even fought an akuma. Right?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was this another akuma? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The last thing she remembered was planning to go to New York. She needed to talk to Tikki about how it would work…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tikki! </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette’s body was exhausted but her eyes opened as she bolted awake. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had no clue where she was. It was dark and she heard beeping from machines. Disoriented, she looked around. She definitely was indoors and she wasn’t wearing her clothes. She was in a…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hospital gown?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was she at the hospital?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Did something happen to her?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She didn’t feel any bandages on herself. No casts or slings either. That’s good. So nothing was broken. If she had surgery, she would probably be in a lot of pain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So why was she here? Did someone find her? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All she wanted was to sleep and go to New York. Maybe she could transform and swear the hospital to secrecy?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As her eyesight adjusted to the darkness, an alarm of sorts went off, scaring her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What was that? Someone’s phone? What if they found Tikki?!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Checking her earrings, she felt the miraculous still on her ears. So maybe Tikki was hiding? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her eyes scanned the room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The alarm of whatever electronic device it was coming from wouldn’t stop. Why can’t someone turn the thing off?! It was going to give her a headache.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The light in the room suddenly turned on and the darkness was gone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Marinette?”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>To celebrate the Miraculous Fandom FINALLY getting to see Adrien's design for the movie, here's chapter 15 a bit early</p><p>And there is a reference to the theme song. Can you guess where?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Adrien? Was that Adrien? What was he doing here?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s supposed to be in New York!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry if my alarm woke you up. I guess I forgot to turn it off. I usually have to wake up this early to get ready for school and shoots,” she heard him say quietly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t look to her left where she knew his voice was coming from. Her eyes shut closed as soon as she recognized him. The tightness in her chest was back. Why was she reacting this way? She shouldn’t be like this. Was something wrong with her?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien wasn’t sure what he had said, but Marinette wasn’t looking at him. Her eyes were closed and she looked scared. He wanted to hug her, but decided against it. He didn’t want to make it worse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad you’re safe Mari,” he said softly and sat in one of the chairs next to the hospital bed.  “I was- I was scared I was going to lose you. I know it won’t change anything right now, but I’m sorry. I left you alone when you needed my help and support. I feel like this is my fault. If I hadn’t-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette shook her head. The words were stuck in her throat.</span>
  <em>
    <span>Why won’t they come out?!</span>
  </em>
  <span> She was shaking. The fear and doubt that had eaten at her yesterday were back. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault, Adrien. I can’t be with you. I love you, but nothing can happen between us. Being just your friend is going to break my heart more than if you left completely. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She tried to fight the influx of tears that were building up. She felt weak and wanted to hide again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mari, what’s wrong?” She could hear the worry in Adrien’s voice. She was scaring him. She needed to say something to reassure him she was fine. She could just breathe. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Focus on something near you. Just like Ms. Bustier taught you in class.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes couldn’t stay closed forever. When the tears began to fall-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why did her mind have to make her head turn to Adrien?!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want me to get your parents?” he asked. "You can just shake or nod your head. They’re outside in the waiting area."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could see Adrien texting. Maman and Papa must be worried. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she still hadn’t found-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt a pat underneath her blanket on her leg. Tikki was here. Good. The one person she could trust hadn’t left her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It happened fast. One moment it was just her and Adrien awake and the next thing she knew, she heard multiple talk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She saw Maman and Papa talking with what looked like a doctor or nurse, but she also saw Alya and Nino. What were they doing here?!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was too much. Why did Alya and Nino have to be here? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya hugged her, but she saw the hurt in her eyes when the hug wasn’t reciprocated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She froze. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Can you blame her? Her best friend believed and supported the lies of a pathological liar who hurt people! She couldn’t be too mad at Nino, but he supported Alya so she couldn’t trust him either.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It hurt having Adrien so close, but she’d rather have him than two people that didn’t believe her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maman and Papa held her. They felt safe. She was still shaking, but she knew Maman and Papa would protect her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The doctor was in the room. She wasn’t paying attention to what they were telling Maman and Papa, but she saw Alya and Nino leave the room with Papa. Adrien was getting up from where he was sitting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her head was telling her to let him go with his friends, but her heart was screaming in protest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was crying more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sweetie, what’s wrong?” her mother asked softly as she was held.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She still wasn’t able to find her words, but her eyes followed Adrien. It hurt. Her heart hurt, but she didn’t want to let go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adrien?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Ms. Cheng?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you stay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I t-thought Marinette wouldn’t want me in the room.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thank Tikki’s good luck or Maman knowing her daughter well, she was able to pick up on what Marinette wanted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, dear. I know she’s not saying much right now, but she wants you to stay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Just focus on Maman’s voice and nod your head.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know if that’s a good idea...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Trying to gather her courage despite the protest from her stomach, Marinette turned her head. She briefly stared at his green eyes as she silently pleaded. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Please don’t go.</span>
  </em>
  <span> She then hid her face and rested her head on her mom’s shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok, Marinette. I’ll stay.”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>She was back at home. It had been a week since the trip to New York ended. She was staying at home until further notice. Daily texts and phone calls were left unanswered from her classmates. Maman and Papa had prohibited everyone from coming to see her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well except Adrien. From what he said, he had to sneak around the others to get to her home. Apparently everyone was taking turns staking out the front of her house at breakfast and lunch in hopes that she would come out and talk to them. He had kept his promise for lunch. She didn’t have the passionfruit macarons ready, but her parents always had a bag of them ready by the time he arrived and another one for when he left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wasn’t speaking much. She was still trying to understand what had happened to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t anything life threatening for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was just anxiety. It was a common thing, but she now had an official diagnosis and everything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t feel very different. The only thing that had really changed was that she had a name for the fear and chest tightness that popped up from time to time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maman and Papa were given instructions on what the next steps were and a whole lot of other stuff she wasn’t interested in learning about right now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She just wanted to feel safe and happy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nonna and Grandpa had come to stay at the bakery to spend time with her and to help Maman and Papa while she got better. She knew Grandpa was the one that taught Papa how to bake, but she didn’t know Nonna could bake Italian pastries! Great Uncle Wang had video called and talked about a new recipe he was working on. He hoped they would visit Shanghai soon so he could teach her how to make it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette was comfortable with her family. It was odd spending the day helping bake or just doodling, but she was relaxing. She had time to talk to the kwamis. She only wore one miraculous at a time, but they all made her laugh. Even Plagg had come to visit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told him that you were taking some time to get better since the situation in New York stressed you out. He doesn’t know about everything, but he does feel guilty about what happened," said Plagg.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Plagg, please let him know that he shouldn’t feel guilty. It’s not his fault. He was just trying to protect me. It’s going to take some time for me to be my normal self again, but I do miss him. I can’t leave my house much, but if he’s nearby during patrol, I’ll try and pop out for a quick chat at night. I owe him so much. I wish I could hang out with him more often.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So I’ll tell him you love him. You got it Pigtails!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Plagg!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know. You love him as a friend and partner. There’s nothing wrong with that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should probably head back. My Kitty may need you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bye Princess. Bye Sugarcube!”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>It took another week before Marinette started talking to her parents about what happened. They had heard stuff, but they wanted to hear from their  daughter directly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette told them about wanting to be with Adrien, but worried about hurting Kagami and Luka. Both Luka and Kagami reached out, but the designer was too scared to talk. The one time she did try to, it came out as one giant, muffled, mashed up run-on sentence as she videochatted. It just so happened that Sabine sent Adrien to check up on Marinette when that happened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neither Luka nor Kagami seemed surprised about Adrien’s appearance though. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She's worried you'll hate her, stop being her friends, and come after her as an akuma," he explained again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both were quiet for a moment. Marinette was ready to hide, but Adrien rested his hand on her shoulder, giving it a small squeeze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Give them a moment, Marinette."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It felt like eons (it was more like a moment or two), but Luka spoke first. "Marinette, I never pushed you to take things seriously because I understood you were unsure of how you felt. I told you to take New York as a chance to clear your mind and you did. Everything is good. I have no hard feelings, okay? I don’t think I'm the right person to help you with what's happening now, but as your friend I'll be here if you do want to talk. I hope you can come hear Kitty Section play soon. Maybe we can have Adrien play his favorite song for you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette blushed as she nodded her head in thanks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami let out a small laugh. "You were a formidable opponent Marinette. Good rivals and friends know when to step away after a winner has been decided. Adrien spoke with me already so we've cleared everything between us. You have nothing to worry about. If anyone tries to hurt you, they'll have to face me. Adrien, that goes for you too. If you hurt her I'll see you at fencing… I hope we can hang out soon Marinette."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Th-Thank you. It… means a lot. I'll try and visit you both soon."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shortly after, the call ended. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien’s hand had remained on Marinette’s shoulder and not once did she try to move it. To be honest, Marinette was still torn on the inside. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was glad her friends supported her feelings and understood her, but she was still scared. That fear and the thought of her relationship with Adrien and maybe it causing Chat Blanc was a nightmare that hadn't left her mind. She doubted she could truly be happy with Adrien while she was Ladybug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Um, Marinette?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hm?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Could we talk?" Adrien had done his nervous habit. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Why does he look so cute?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wait, what? He wants to talk?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"S-Sure." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She walked to her chaise and sat down on end of it, holding onto a pillow. She had left her Chat plushie on the roof when she last saw Chat Noir. She wished she had it right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien sat down on the other end, wanting to give her space. "You don't have to answer if you don't feel comfortable, but I've been wanting to know- What you said in New York. Was it true? Do… You don't love me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I love you! I don't want to hurt you! </span>
  </em>
  <span>is what she wanted to say. He looked so vulnerable. He didn't have a lot of people he trusted. She hadn't said anything about their relationship (whatever this was) and he's kept his promise. Why was she so afraid? Had she really let her fears control her? There were things that were out of her control like her classmates, Lila and akumas. But there were things she could control- Who she talked to, how she behaved, who she loved. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She saw the hope and fear in his eyes. Whatever she said would change how he acted around her. There was a lot weighing on her words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's- I'm trying to sort things out in my head. Even though Luka and Kagami’s reactions aren't a problem anymore, a part of me is unsure of what to do."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If I did anything to confuse you in New York-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her head. "You didn't. I'm just letting my insecurities take over." Taking a deep breath, she paused to steady her racing heart. "I want you to be here. To-To have you in my life, but my head and my heart are fighting against each other. That's the best way I can explain it. A part of me is saying that things could end in a disaster yet another part is telling me that for once, I can be happy with </span>
  <em>
    <span>something </span>
  </em>
  <span>in my life. Something I have a say in. Something- Some</span>
  <em>
    <span>one</span>
  </em>
  <span> I get to choose. Everyone has all these expectations of me, and I want to help, but-but…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You wish that you could get a chance to do things for yourself without the expectations. You're tired of being taken advantaged of. I get it," Adrien replied. "No one thinks you can make a mistake. You have a certain image and you feel pressured to stick to it. If you mess up or try to do your own thing, you get judged harshly for it. It feels like you're wearing multiple hats or masks."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How do you-?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Being in front of cameras and told how to act or pose requires practice to convince people that your life is perfect."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But it's not. All you've wanted is to have a normal life but your dad tries to control every aspect of your life. It's rare that you're genuinely happy. Most of the time, your smile doesn’t reach your eyes. You think you have everyone fooled, but…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Only two people have been able to tell how I feel. My mother and someone I know."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was staring at her. It was the same look he gave her on the plane. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I care about you a lot Adrien… So much that it hurts. But I can't- I can't risk hurting you. This? This isn't all real. This isn't me. In real life, I'm fragile. l often learn the hard way at my expense. I smile at life, play with my torments and make fun of my turmoils," she said with a sad smile on her face. "I show the world that I am strong, but all I want is to belong. I have the gift to put away whatever's wrong and save the day…."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Does this have to do with when you told me that something might come up if we ever went out on a date?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mhm."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Whatever it is, I hope it's not making you miss out on having fun. Not that I'm asking you out on a date right now! Really, no pressure! I should probably get ready to head back to school for classes. Do you have any of your homework ready? I can take it?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That's weird. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A confused Marinette raised her eyebrow as she went to her desk. "Yeah. I'm still struggling with the science homework though." Grabbing her literature and math assignments, she helped him put them in his backpack. "Are- Are you okay, Adrien?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Totally!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll, I'll walk you downstairs."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a small spring in his step, Adrien followed Marinette down to the door that connected the baker's kitchen to her home. "I don't know if Papa and Nonna are back there or else I'd go with you. They try to cheer me up by teasing me about you coming over." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I thought it was just me." The model's cheeks were a faint pink as he avoided looking at the designer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?! Nonononononononono! Why?!" Marinette covered her face with her hands due to the embarrassment. "I told them they shouldn't do that!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"-that you would be uncomfortable and that you would never want to come back!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Never ever! I'm sorry!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mari…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll tell them to apologize. I'm really-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mari!" Taking her hands away from her face, he holds them to reassure her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Huh?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's cool. I know your dad can be a jokester. He obviously gets it from your Nonna. Your grandpa's more… serious."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I should probably let you go. Th-Thanks for earlier."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No problem!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letting go of her hands, Adrien readied to open the front door of the Dupain-Cheng residence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Adrien, wait!" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You forgot your macarons."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I still have some from yesterday."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you sure?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yup." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, okay." She quickly kissed him on the cheek. "Have a good afternoon."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You too."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once he left, Marinette ran into the bakery's kitchen in a minor panic. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Why</span>
  </em>
  <span> did I do that? Now he's going to think I agreed when I didn't…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What happened dear?" Tom asked his daughter. She seemed to have a bit more energy than before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"IkissedAdrienonthecheek." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nonna and I can't understand you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"IkisserAdrienonthecheek."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette…"  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I KISSED ADRIEN ON THE CHEEK!" she blurted out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's nothing to be embarrassed about Marinetta," said Nonna Gina matter-of-factly. "You should've seen your father whenever we caught him and Sabine-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mom!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What? Kissing is perfectly normal, Tom. Besides, she's seen you and Sabine kiss before. It's not a foreign concept to her. If things progress, she'll be kissing the Agreste boy soon."</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>If only they knew. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She's kissed the 2 boys Tom approved of.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"As much as I consider Adrien my son, he is not taking my cupcake."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"For the love of cannolis, Tom. You can't protect your daughter forever!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can and I will!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maman!" Without thinking, Marinette burst through the door to the counter. "Papa and Nonna are at it ag-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette?!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of all the people…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt like a deer caught in headlights.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What is she doing here?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"Adorable pjs. I would love to commission a set from you. How much for one? You know what? We should get a photo together. I know everyone is </span>
  <em>
    <span>dying </span>
  </em>
  <span>to see you again." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Who let the witch in?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She heard the click of a camera. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The witch must've taken a selfie of the two of them. She's probably going to share it with a fake caption of how I "let" her be the first one to see me. They're going to think we're friends! Alya’s going to want answers. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Adrien! I need to let Adrien know. If the class sees me….</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Where's Maman? Grandpa doesn't know everyone in my class… Did Maman step out for an errand?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She tried to remember her exercises. She hadn't passed out so that was good. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she couldn't move. Is this what it felt like to be stung by Queen Bee's Venom attack?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wished she had Kitty plushie. Even if she was caught with it, at least it would make it harder to make fun of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can't wait for my photoshoot with Adrien today after school. Mr. Agreste was so inspired by the class' trip to New York that he's planning on using us to promote the brand overseas. Today's the first of the promotional shoots."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the mention of Adrien, she looked up at the liar, who was waiting by the register. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can't wait to finally have Adrien alone so we can finally go out. That fencer girl was so not for him. No one is a better match than-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mari!" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A large round of yells caused her to jump. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What are they all doing here?!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt herself zoning out, but familiar green eyes shielded her view as the smell of flour on large hands pulled her to the back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can you take her back upstairs? My mother will make you tea, Adrien."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien? Those green eyes…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wanted to hug him, but she couldn't move much. It was as if her body was doing a thing of itself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Trying to stay grounded, she focused on matching her breathing to Adrien’s. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What is that he's humming? It's really beautiful. It reminds me of the song Maman would play when I was little…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The humming appeared to have helped. She was still shaken, but her breathing felt normal. That was too much.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Where did they come from?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She was carried bridal style up to the living room. She wasn't sure what she was doing because she was tired, but she didn't want to let go of Adrien. She clung onto him as she was carried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nonna's fussing was going to make it difficult to take a nap, but Papa said something about tea? She'd get some after she felt better…</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Adrien was on his way back to school when he (and the rest of the class) got the text and picture from Lila: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Marinette came out to say hello! She says she misses us. Why don't we talk with her while she's out and about? There's time before class. Xoxo </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He sprinted back to the Dupain-Cheng residence and knocked on the door, hoping someone would answer, but no luck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Plagg," he whispered. "Can you please unlock the door? I'll get you an extra slice of cheese bread."</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I would've done it without the bread. This is Ladybug you're visiting.</span>
  </em>
  <span> The kwami phased through the lock, did his thing and back into Adrien’s pocket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thanks."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien opened the door, slammed it closed and headed into the bakery's kitchen. Tom and Nonna Gina were arguing-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mom, Sabine and I both think it's best to let Marinette come to us when she feels ready to have that conversation. Please don't force her into an uncomfortable situation."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tom, you need to deal with the fact that Marinetta is a young lady. What she wants to do in her free time with the Agreste boy- Would you look at that? He's here. You can sit him down and explain what your rules are. It's not like you followed your father's and I's when you were a teen."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry for interrupting Mr. Dupain, but Lila's at the counter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Lila? You mean the girl that got my daughter expelled and hurt her?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, she just sent the class a text saying they should all come visit Marinette since she's, quote, 'out and about.'"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can you get Marinette while I try and stop the kids?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, sir."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tom, what do you mean my granddaughter was hurt and expelled by a girl?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mom, I'll explain another time. Right now Marinette needs to get back here, away from the chaos that's coming. This won't be good for her. She's not ready to face any of them. Can you get the tea ready upstairs?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine, but this discussion isn't over."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, Ma."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien followed Tom out to the front of the bakery. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was chaotic. And loud. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He saw everyone rushing through the door. Mari froze at the yelling of her name. Following his superhero instincts, he shielded her. She wasn’t moving. Her mind seemed to be somewhere else yet her eyes seemed to know he was there. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom took her to the back as the model was figuratively tossed across the room with questions. The loudest coming from Alya. "What are you doing back there?!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom returned, indicating Adrien should go back. As he left, he heard Tom pull out the "scary father" persona. He had a feeling that the school and a whole lot of parents would be getting phone calls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was now sitting on the couch of the Dupain-Chengs with their daughter asleep on his lap. He didn't mind it much, but he felt rather shy. He knew Nonna Dupain to be bold, adventurous and outspoken, but also kind and liked to dote on her granddaughter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'd give you your tea, but it looks like someone considers you her pillow," said Gina with a chuckle as she brought a blanket and set it a top the teens.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien couldn't help but blush. "I don't mind…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But you have class don't you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't really want to go back knowing I'm going to be bombarded with questions."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What happened out there?" asked Gina as she sat down on one of the solo couches.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There's…. I'm not sure if Marinette would want me to share this. Her parents are aware, but I don't know .the extent that she's told them."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll take the short version then."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There's a girl in our class that has given Marinette and I a hard time. She's managed to win over my father, and she has a really bad habit of lying to our friends. They all believe her lies without checking the information. There's discrepancies and contradictions between what she’s said. Marinette tried to call her out, no one believed her. I'm still learning how to navigate public school so I didn't know better. I told Marinette to take the high road instead of trying to call out the girl's lies. The girl has given Mari a hard time, and it's my fault because I didn't support her enough."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien’s face fell. Guilt was still eating at him. Mr. Dupain and Ms. Cheng kept reassuring him it wasn't his fault what Lila did, but it didn't help. Marinette was still hurt.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I forgot to mention this yesterday (and I went back and added it to the AN), but chapter 15 has a reference to the theme song. Try and figure out what it is! Later on there will also be other references to music, so keep an eye out for those.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Seeing two red-faced Mr. Dupains was enough for the kids that had popped up at the Dupain-Cheng bakery demanding to know why Adrien was there one moment and not the next. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Some of them had met Grandpa Dupain while staking out the bakery during the first week for a glimpse of Marinette. He was the opposite of Nonna Dupain and he was the reason they had to stop. Apparently being short and loud ran in the Dupain genes. His glare and annoyed look was the same one Marinette has. The old guy looked annoooyyyeeed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I ask that Lila deletes the photo she took of my daughter without her consent. I will be talking with Mr. Damocles and Ms. Bustier," said a stern Mr. Dupain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The threat didn't scare Lila. Preparing her innocent act, tears began forming in her eyes. "I'm s-sorry sir. I didn't mean to cause any trouble. I saw Marinette was out here and wanted to talk. She gave me permission to-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know my daughter. She would never consent to you taking her photo, let alone taking a photo with you. I don't want to ask again. Will you delete the photo?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lila had to fight the urge to glare back as she erased the photo. She wasn't going to risk getting in trouble in front of her gullible classmates.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pulling out his phone, Tom Dupain dialed Caline Bustier. "Hello, Ms. Bustier? This is Marinette's dad. I apologize for interrupting your lunch, but I'm afraid that my daughter's classmates need to be sat down and talked to. They were told Marinette isn't ready to see them and yet they showed up based on a false message a Lila sent them. I do not want to have to call Roger Raincomprix…. Thank you." Hanging up, he looked at Lila.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sir, that's not fair! Lila was only-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alya, your best friend isn't well and you're trying to justify the actions of a classmate that isn't close with my daughter. Just know that Marinette's trying her best to get better. But as her father, her health comes first. The doctors have said she isn't ready to interact with all of you. If you cared for her like the friends you say you are, you would respect my family's privacy. I'm sorry if I'm being strict, but none of you are making this easy. My wife and I are going to have to take time away from our shop and away from taking care of Marinette so we can address the trouble you all have caused."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She hasn't been answering our messages or calls. We're not looking for a full explanation. We just want to know she's well. Nino and I are the only ones who saw her for a moment and since the hospital we haven't seen her at all," Alya refuted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She was at the hospital?" Rose asked. "Oh, did something happen?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She was just dehydrated Rose."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then why did she look like she was in a panic? And why was Adrien allowed to stay? He isn’t family."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nino wasn’t sure what to do. His girlfriend could be too much sometimes. "Alya, we've talked about this before-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're not going to ask why Adrien's back there," Alya said, pointing in the direction of the kitchen. "And you haven't asked him why he hasn't been seen at lunchtime since we came back from the trip?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Al, Adrien’s busy. I'm not gonna pressure him to tell me what's going on. You know how his dad gets."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He hasn't been eating lunch with you?" interrupted Lila. "He-He promised me lunch dates, but he said he was helping you with science homework."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Adrien promised lunch dates?" said a voice from the back as the main door to the bakery jingled. "Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry I didn’t tell you Chloé. I was waiting for Adrien to tell you," cried Lila.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can stop the fake tears Lila. I may not get the best grades, but I'm not stupid enough to fall for your lies. Everyone that went to New York knows what happened there and you are </span>
  <em>
    <span>way</span>
  </em>
  <span> off. I came here to place an order for Daddy's party but I arrive to your idiotic lies? Did no one get the memo about Dupain-Cheng? And I can’t believe everyone forgot about New York. All that trouble we went through for Dupain-Cheng and this is how you behave? Pathetic. How have you all not realized that Adrien has eyes for no one other than her?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chloé made her way through and left a paper on the counter with a sealed envelope. "Excuse me, here is the order. That should be enough to cover costs." She turned back to her classmates as she exited. "At least Sabrina and I won't be in trouble. We'll be on time for science class."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Science class.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ms. Mendeleiev!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh crap. They were going to be in </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> much trouble if they were late to her class.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As if they were one unit, everyone started filing out of the bakery while cries of "Sorry Mr. Dupain!" followed. Nino had to carry Alya out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom was speechless. He wasn't sure what had happened, but if it got the kids out, whatever. He still needed to talk to the principal and Officer Raincomprix.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's not how things are done Tom."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Dad, I'm not going to walk the kids to their parents and start yelling," responded Tom. His dad was about to start one of his rambles…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then who were those kids? They certainly don't look like the ones Gina and my granddaughter told me about. These kids are rude and disrespectful. The one that was crying looked like she was trying too hard to get attention. Is something wrong with her?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What was Tom going to do?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Dad, why don't you head upstairs and switch with Mom? I need to close the shop to take care of this mess and talk to her." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The dough isn't ready. I'm finishing my bread."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ok. I'm still closing down for the day. If Sabine arrives, can you let her know I'll be upstairs?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine. But if those kids come back, I'm banning them from returning."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, Dad. Just don't answer the door. You can finish baking upstairs. It'll be more quiet for you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's a good idea." </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Busted. They were dead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both Ms. Mendeleiev </span>
  <em>
    <span>and </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ms. Bustier were waiting for the kids that showed up late to class.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sabrina and Chloé were already there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were screwed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Everyone in their seats, NO talking," said Ms. Mendeleiev. She didn't know why Caline was in her classroom, but she knew the kids must've done </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> if she had to come down and talk with them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The teens were restless in their seats for a few minutes, until Ms. Bustier spoke. "I've had the opportunity to work with you all throughout your entire time here. This is hard for me to say, but-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're not leaving are you?" asked Rose. "You're one of our favorite teachers Ms. Bustier."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The literature teacher reassured her students. "I'm not, Rose. I promise you I'm not leaving Collège Françoise Dupont. However, I am disappointed in the behavior that all, but 2 of you displayed today. I'm sure you are all aware about what I'm referring to. You're to stay here working on your assignments while each of your parents or guardians are contacted."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cries of "This is unfair!" filled throughout the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry. I never meant to cause any trouble," spouted off Lila with her fake tears. "I just wanted to be a good friend to Marinette."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chloé stood up, rolling her eyes. "That is total bull, Rossi. You and I both know it. Ms. Bustier, has anyone looked into whether or not Lila has the necessary documentation in order for her health 'issues' to be addressed?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you're concerned Chloé, that's private information between Lila's family and the school administration."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chloé struggled to say Dupain-Cheng's first name, but if it would help bring attention to the hypocrisy of the witch, fine. "So with… Marinette… how come she's able to do classes from her home? How come Adrien’s the one in charge of picking up and dropping off her assignments?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not allowed to disclose that information. Since you and Sabrina weren't involved with the incident at the Dupain-Cheng bakery, you're free to go to the library for study hall. Was that all, Chloé?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't need to know what's going on medically with…  Marinette… I just want to know if the proper procedures were followed. It's a simple yes or no question."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, they were, Chloé."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you, Ms. Bustier. Come on Sabrina." With a flip of her ponytail, the ex-superheroine walked out rather smugly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is so not fair. They don't get in trouble for talking back to a teacher and Adrien gets to skip class?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alix, I can't disclose information pertaining to another student's case. Adrien has been excused for the rest of class."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He's probably going to spend it kissing Marinette," snickered Kim.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette said she wasn't interested in Adrien anymore. We all heard her. Why would she and Adrien-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ms. Mendeleiev halted the conversation. "That's enough everyone! I will add to your assignments if this continues."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That shut the class up.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The humming was long gone, but Marinette had slept with little issue. She could smell Nonna's tea and Grandpa's bread. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But why could she smell Adrien's fragrance and mint? It was an unusual combination, but she liked it. She snuggled her face closer to her pillow, but the pillow froze?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huh?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes fluttered open to see what happened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This wasn't her pillow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes moved up from what looked like a shirt…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Adr-Adrien?!"</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>It really was a miracle none of the adults had been akumatized yet. After returning from her errand, Sabine found Tom in their bedroom red and close to yelling at who sounded like Principal Damocles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My daughter has been wrongly accused by the same student on </span>
  <em>
    <span>multiple </span>
  </em>
  <span>occasions. You expelled her once without proof! You've had my daughter in your school longer than that other student. Marinette may not have a perfect attendance record because of her tardiness, but she is a hardworking student. She does her homework and has </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> caused trouble. Even when the Mayor's daughter has given her trouble, my daughter has left Chloé Bourgeois alone…. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No! We already provided the proper documentation to have accommodations put in place for her learning. Those are fine. The issue is that I had over 10 kids storm my shop questioning me about my daughter and demanding to see her when she's not up for it. The other issue is that the student that caused the incident is also the one that took a picture of my daughter without consent, sent it to the class and has bullied her. I'm not one for getting lawyers involved, but I assure you that I will if necessary." Having seen that Sabine arrived, Tom hung up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What happened, dear?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And so, Tom recounted the events of the end of lunchtime. It wasn't easy considering how it took a lot of him from storming the school, but he got through it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So the Rossi girl is still trying to cause trouble. We need to set up a meeting with her and the school. If they refuse to deal with Lila, we'll see about getting a restraining order or something," said Sabine. "I would rather not have to go to court, but knowing your mother, she may not let this go as easily."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That sounds like a plan. Marinette's still asleep. We should probably-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They heard a yell from the living room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>An extremely red faced Marinette was on the opposite side of the couch, clutching a pillow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blonde model had dozed off and hadn't realized it until Marinette’s yell woke him up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gina laughed while Roland fought back a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom and Sabine arrived, confused at the sight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They both were sleeping, but she just woke up and realized she was cuddling the boy," said Gina. "I'll warm up the tea."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So-Sorry, Adrien."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's alright Marinette. I hope you slept well." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah…" The teenage girl was trying to avoid looking at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette, your dad and I need to talk to you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The living room turned a bit cold.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Um, what about, Mama? Is everything okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I should get back to school. I have a shoot right after classes end," said Adrien as he stood up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Adrien you can stay for a bit. You might be able to give us some information Marinette’s likely to leave out."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sure…" The blond noticed Marinette’s uncertainty. "Is this about what happened earlier?" He sat back down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom and Sabine sat on the other couch as Gina brought forth the tea. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sweetie, Papa and I want to talk to the school and Lila's mom. We won't make you go, but if the meeting does take place, we want to be able to tell Ms. Rossi everything her daughter has done," Sabine said. "We know about the false accusations of Lila saying you pushed her and of your 'cheating.' We're aware that she's lied about Jagged Stone, Prince Ali and Adrien being her boyfriend. Is that all?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette looked down as she held her wrist close. She never told anyone about the time she was threatened and how that almost led to her akumatization the first time. It was a memory that she had tried hard to forget, but the recent events had just made it more prominent in her mind. She couldn't find the words to say it. Her throat felt dry. She knew she had to say it. How else was this supposed to stop?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A hand gently squeezed hers. "You don't have to say anything. I'll be here if you do want to talk until I have to go back to school. It doesn't have to be about whatever happened."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What did she do to have Adrien nearby every day?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She-She-" Her eyes squeezed shut as she remembered being trapped. "She's taken my friends. J-Just like she said she would do. She t-turned them against me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So she did threaten you?" Adrien growled. He heard it from Luka, but to hear it from Marinette herself...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette had never heard Adrien this serious. "I don't want you to get in trouble. You can't afford to lose school." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette, what happens to me won't matter if Lila continues to get her way."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But you have to model with her. She could easily lie to Nathalie or your dad. I'm expecting Nathalie to show up now demanding you stop coming to lunch. Adrien, please don't put yourself in danger for me." The designer had a difficult time not going on another ramble. "I trust that my parents will help figure something out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know what my Father's capable of. If the image of the brand is at risk of being ruined, he'll do whatever it takes to protect it and keep it clean. If it'll mean my image is ruined, he wouldn't dare risk anything."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Adrien, what are you saying?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If your parents' approach to stop Lila doesn't work, I may need you to contact Nadja Chamack."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"For what?" The teenage girl couldn't figure out why Adrien would willingly go to the press for something when he tried so hard to spend extra time in the spotlight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have an idea forming, but I need to work out the details."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let's not make any hasty decisions," said Sabine. She could tell Adrien wanted to help, but she didn't know what was going to happen. "Adrien, we appreciate you wanting to help, but for now, we just want to know what's happened."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I may be able to give you more information. I'm not sure if it'll help, but Lila needs to be sropped."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Gabriel received the news that his son had been going to the Dupain-Cheng bakery instead of lunch, he knew something was wrong. The last he had heard, Adrien and Kagami Tsurugi were still together and were seen eating their meals. No one had informed him that they had called things off. Apparently his son has been sneaking off for the last 3 weeks!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He expected to be able to akumatize the Tsurugi girl over a broken heart, but it had been almost a month. Ever since New York's failure, he had been biding his time, waiting for the perfect akuma to show Paris that he held power over them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ladybug had not been spotted for the last month either. Was it possible she was injured? All the more reason to plan an akuma. Without her around, destruction would remain. He would cause more broken hearts if it means he repairs the one he yearns for…</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Lila's mother was having none of it. What were these people saying about her daugnter? Yes, she did work at the Italian embassy, but it was a temporary position before moving back to Italy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even with confirmations from Jagged Stone's press secretary and Achu's royal press, Lila insisted that she was being framed. To make matters worse, Mrs. Rossi had seen the documentation herself. The girl's parents, who brought forth the meeting, had brought a copy of their daughter's medical diagnosis, of which Lila was determined in part to blame for causing. She and the school were facing at a possible lawsuit for medical expenses.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lila was pissed. Marinette’s parents talked to her mom. Her mom was beginning to doubt her. How dare she! How dare that ungrateful, spoiled, undeserving brat try and ruin her life! </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Mom, I wouldn't lie about this! I know how much you've done to get to work at the embassy. I don't want to disappoint you," she cried.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Lila, I think it's best if you are home schooled for the rest of the year. You're starting lycée in a few months. You'll get a fresh start soon. We can't afford going to court over medical bills. And this would ruin your future. I wouldn't be able to provide for a university education."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Why do I have to switch schools? Why can't Marinette? She's not even in class! She gets special treatment."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Lila, I believe you, but if this lawsuit moves forward, and you're found guilty, it would also put you on probation or something worse.. Providing false medical information on your school records in addition to threatening a student's safety and well-being?! Don't you understand? This will ruin you and you could lose a lot. "</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You just don't care about what happens to me as long as your job doesn't get affected. What kind of a mother are you?!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lila ran out without a glance. She needed the support of the gullible classmates for this. Good thing Marinette wasn't in class right now…</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>"She's what?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Marinette would never sue for a lie."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I knew she was sick, but has she really lost her mind?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The seeds of doubt had been planted. Lila didn't know what was wrong with Marinette other than it was a mental health thing. Perfect way to make it sound like the brat lost her mind. "I don't understand why she would do that. I didn't do anything wrong."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"She's still not answering our messages and no one can go to the bakery. If we do, you know we'll be suspended, if not expelled."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm really sorry everyone, I never meant to start trouble."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>For the last month Adrien had been at odds with Alya and a part of the class. They wanted to know the full details of his involvement with Marinette. Obviously he didn't say much. He tended to keep it simple. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"She's talking and getting treatment. I'm only there during lunch, guys. I don't know what else is happening."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"They're threatening to sue Lila! Aren't you at least a bit worried?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yes he was worried. Worried for Marinette. Her parents hadn't mentioned the possibility of going to court to her. They worried it would slow down her progress. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien wasn't allowed to say anything, but that didn't mean he wasn't allowed to plan. He hated having to do shoots with Lila, but he kept track of everything she did that almost crossed the line. He voiced his uncomfortableness with Nathalie, but was obviously ignored. So he opted for plan B. Ask to shadow at other shoots to "get a better idea of how things work in order to prepare for the future." Some of those shoots also involved Lila. Having been known as the complete opposite of the boss even though he was the son had its perks. He was trusted more easily, so collecting the stories was easier. Lila was threatening other models and was a pain in the neck for multiple staff. If he had to go to Nadja Chamack, he'd be able to sue his own father.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The idea made Adrien partially sick. He never thought he'd have to stoop to such a tactic, but given the circumstances, he felt it was justified. Not only would Marinette benefit from it, but so would everyone that had to deal with Lila as well.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Marinette had begun therapy days after her anxiety diagnosis. Medicine had been considered, but it was determined that if the Lila issue could be solved, things should improve without a need for it. She still had moments where she froze up or felt extremely vulnerable, but being surrounded by the people she cared about helped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tikki had gone to check up on Chat everyday. Sometimes she would transform in her own room and leave him a voicemail. Her Kitty didn't ask a lot of questions, but he did mention once that he had a present for her once she was up and swinging again. She wanted to go out and about, but because her parents still kept an eye on her, sneaking out would have to wait.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had managed to work on her designs at least. With less obligations at the moment, she was able to create new designs. She wasn't sure what to make of them, but maybe she'd come back to them one day.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Things with Adrien were in a cute yet weird limbo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was coming to terms that maybe she </span>
  <em>
    <span>could</span>
  </em>
  <span> date Adrien. (They've had so many moments that her parents and grandparents had started a betting pool amongst themselves.) However, with her brain still on high alert and always on the defense, it was hard to let her guard down just enough to let Adrien in completely. She hated her brain for it. Therapy was helping her look at things from a new perspective. She could thimk for herself. She didn't have to say "yes" to everyone..She had to set her own boundaries, and only she could change them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She guessed that if she took control of her anxiety, she'd be able to not freak out over her moments with Adrien. She was learning to trust him more. (She overheard him tell her parents how he negotiated with Lila to bring back Marinette to school after her expulsion. She cried happy tears knowing that she at least had a friend who had had her back in that moment back then.)</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Grandpa and Nonna spent most of the day with her. When she wasn't doing school work or working on something else, she was learning how to grow the Dupain yeast and bake more recipes. She heard stories about her dad from his days as a baby all the way through when he got together with her mom. Nonna shared stories with Grandpa about a baby Marinette and how her first words were all names of baked sweets pastries much to the dismay of the Cheng grandparents. Marinette even learned that at one point as a young child she was trilingual- Fluent in not just French and Chinese, but she had even picked up Italian from Nonna! Maybe now would be a good time to focus on her Chinese? Surely Maman would be happy. She could ask Nonna for some basic Italian lessons.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Besides, it would be a good way to surprise Lila if needed. The Italian had slipped into speaking the language when she wanted to sound important. Marinette could possibly figure out what she was saying. She was sure some of it wasn't nice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All in all, Marinette couldn't have asked for another way to gain her confidence back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luka and Kagami had stopped by to visit a few times. Marinette was still nervous around them, but Luka tended to play music. He managed to record a sample of Kitty Section's music. Even though she wasn’t speaking with anyone else from the band, she was still considered the design consultant aka 'Help with our wardrobe and fashion choices and our image.' The sample inspired her to doodle during one of the jamming sessions and as a result, out came a new album cover! </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her hang outs with Kagami were similar to the first hang outs with Adrien- the designer was having to teach the fencer how to do 'typical' teen stuff. Marinette dominated video games, but Kagami at least ended up learning another way to compete against Adrien. They had an unofficial modeling session with several of Marinette’s design protypes. Although Nonna took photos, neither girl posted anything about it. It would only raise questions about why Marinette’s ex-rival was having fun with the class rep. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The designer was finally feeling like she wanted to go outside and see the world. She wasn't scared of the outside itself. What she was scared of was running into one of her classmates. Adrien was obviously hiding something from her. He'd been a little more quiet about school lately. He didn't talk about their classmates often. Whenever she asked, he'd get a cold look in his eyes. It reminded her of his dad. Did something happen between him and everyone else?</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Lila had crossed a line. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Marinette’s mental health has been getting worse. That's why she acted so… so different from her usual self. She was losing control. I think she hasn't come back because she's lost control. I worry about our safety," she told them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What if the adults had us stay away because they're worried about our safety?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That doesn't excuse that no one's told us anything."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Luka said Marinette sounds fine when he talks with her."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So does Adrien."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"She could be faking it for sympathy. She had both of them crushing on her," replied the liar. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien kept waiting for Plagg to have to Cataclysm an akuma near him. Part of him half wished for one to show up. He'd at least get a change in his routine again. It took everything to not confront everyone then and there, but his father would hear of it. This wasn't worth a lecture.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lila hadn't stopped her antics. The blond kept them informed about their absent classmate. There was skepticism about Marinette’s current health given this new 'development' and the threat of lawsuit hadn't seemed to be working. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien didn't want to be disowned by his own father, but blood wasn't always thicker than water.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Adrien does an interview with Nadja Chamack. He mentions no names, but the school pretty much picks up on the mention of Lila. After speaking with Nathalie about the situation, Lila and an akuma happen.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW: referenced harassment</p><p>If you want to skip that part, you can skip down to the part that starts off with "In exchange, I require Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculouses."</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>What. The. Hell?! </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Adrien Agreste is dead. How dare he!</span>
  </em>
  <span> "Mom, you have to stop this. He's doing this because Marinette has manipulated him! I've been nothing but good to him and everyone else at </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gabriel</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I love modeling. Why is he doing this?" Lila cried out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She and the rest of Paris had woken up to an exclusive headline from Nadja Chamack: </span>
</p><p>
  <b>Cold and Unsafe- Agreste Fashion Empire Under Threat of Collapsing?</b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"In a brief, but detailed interview with me, teen model, voice actor and heir to the </span>
  </em>
  <span>Gabriel </span>
  <em>
    <span>brand, Adrien Agreste discussed recent concerns he's brought forth to this father, Gabriel Agreste. The senior Agreste however, has ignored the issues.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I want the brand to be the best it can be, but that can't be done if the models and designers aren't comfortable working."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Could you elaborate on what you mean?"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"As the main face of the brand, people assume I'm a spoiled kid, but I'm not. My father takes care of me, but his attention is elsewhere. I'm not given much time to enjoy being a teenager. I have certain expectations and obligations I have to meet or else the little free time I do have is controlled. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"During some photoshoots and commercial shoots, I'm subjected to endure being uncomfortable because of a certain individual. I shadowed higher ups in other divisions to start preparing for taking over the company in the future. While doing so, I saw that the individual that has given me problems has been causing problems in these other departments too.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Unfortunately for me, I'm never free from them. This individual also attends my school. I have to interact with them on a daily basis. It makes it difficult for me to learn. I shouldn't have to be looking over my shoulder all day. I should feel safe in school and when I work. I've had to deal with fans and sometimes they cross a line. Those fans are taken care of, but this? This is a whole other level.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"This individual is a new teen model that was hired recently. They know who they are. I'm giving them the opportunity to stop their dangerous behavior. They've already caused a lot of damage in my class. I've seen how what comes out of their mouth can cause damage. They're tearing apart my friendships. They're threatening people that are important to me and my friends. I'm losing the first friend I ever made at school because everyone fails to see behind the illusion, including my best friend. I want my friends back, but they're basically dead now.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I know that when I go to school after this airs, those friends will confront me. They're going to say that I shouldn't have done this to the person. Not once did I name the individual in question. They can't accuse me of mentioning names because I didn’t. I didn't give a physical description of them either. My classmates heard from one of our friends the truth, yet couldn't connect the dots. I want to avoid what happened on our class trip."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Nadja paused for a moment for dramatic effect. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"Thank you Adrien for sharing. That sounds like a difficult position to be in. This took a lot of courage on your part. I hope that things can get resolved."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Thank you Nadja. I'm not doing it for myself. I'm doing it for the coworkers who can't speak or aren't able to. Whatever their situation is like currently, I want to show them that when the time comes for me to take over, I'll be serious about making it the healthiest and happiest it can be in addition to being the best fashion company in the world.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"As for school, I can't speak other than my personal experience, but I had a friend who was hurt. They're doing better, but they've also been affected by things this individual has done."</span>
  </em>
  <span> Adrien has a small, soft smile on his eyes showing sadness and regret. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"This friend, I called them our everyday Ladybug. They went out of the way, they went above and beyond to help everyone. They led our class in so many ways. They were the brains behind a lot of projects. Some would say this person was the big sibling or the heart of our class. Now, it’s as if the hope and positivity we had as a class is gone. Until the issue gets resolved, this friend won't be safe in class either. That's all I will say now."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Thank you again Adrien. For everyone watching at home, I've spoken with several </span>
  </em>
  <span>Gabriel</span>
  <em>
    <span> employees that have confirmed Adrien’s statement..."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Marinette stared at her computer screen in shock. He gave an interview calling out Lila for her behavior and bullying </span>
  <em>
    <span>without </span>
  </em>
  <span>even mentioning her name. She knew the model was going to talk to Nadja, but she definitely wasn't expecting this. </span>
  <span>Alya was going to be in for a surprise at school. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But did Adrien realize what he was about to unleash? Everyone at school that thought about what he said, and picked apart his argument, would figure it out. Some were big Adrien fans. They'd post on social media. From there it'd spread like wildfire. He was playing a risky game. If Lila decided to counterattack, it's possible things would only get worse. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Collège Françoise Dupont was restless as students arrived for their first class. The rumors were already flying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She's the only one from Adrien’s class that's a model."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But what about Juleka?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Couffaine?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She's modeled for Dupain-Cheng, not for </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gabriel</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Lila Rossi's the only one who's appeared in official shoots."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Speaking of Dupain-Cheng, have you noticed she's been gone for the past month?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Rossi said she went off the wall."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette? No way. She's always been a nervous person, but she's not crazy. Besides, she's the class rep for that group."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So? Politicians go bonkers sometimes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Have you seen what she's done?! She's done contests, community projects and still manages to do stuff for </span>
  <em>
    <span>Jagged Stone</span>
  </em>
  <span>. After Heroes Day, Césaire bragged about how Adrien called Marinette their Ladybug…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Holy sh-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't thi-?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Rossi attacked Marinette?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I doubt Marinette did anything to Rossi."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I agree, but Rossi hasn't done anything to anyone else."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That we can see. Or that we know of."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Adrien said that she's done stuff to other models, and he's too innocent and sweet to lie about something so serious. Nadja said she spoke with other employees who confirmed the situation."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It could be for ratings."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Gabriel Agreste won't stand for this. The dude cares way too much for reputation..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Word that it was likely Lila traveled fast to the class. They were confused. As they pieced the things together, it made sense though- a new teen model that Adrien went to school with and was in his class? Only Lila fit that description. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hearing Adrien mention their 'everyday Ladybug' took them back to New York.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette’s crying and her snapping at them. She never mentioned a name, but she said someone had been lying to them. Jagged Stone's kitten and the song. Prince Ali. Rose really should've just messaged him. She had his number all this time after all…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We f- screwed up. We screwed up big time. No wonder Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng banned us. No wonder Mari hasn't talked to us. I bet the lie about Ladybug-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya felt like hell. And sick. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chat had submitted a video to the Ladyblog. He was corroborating Adrien’s story. No name was mentioned, but he said "</span>
  <em>
    <span>That same individual has been akumatized multiple times over the pettiest things. They contributed to the akumas during Heroes Day. They caused an acquaintance of Adrien to become akumatized on purpose. They made it difficult for me to not think that they could be in league with Hawk Moth and Mayura. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"And let me make one thing clear, Ladybug </span>
  </em>
  <b>already</b>
  <em>
    <span> has a best friend. You're looking at him. Why would LB say she's best friends with a specific civilian, let alone one she doesn't know? If she and I said who our civilian friends were, they'd be in danger because of Hawk Moth. So yeah. What else can I say? Ladybug and I are best friends and partners. That doesn't change because someone lied.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"We appreciate the coverage of akuma attacks and the alerts of when there is a new one. We don't appreciate false stories though. Theories, if not too crazy or too speculative, aren't bad, but My Lady and I have kept our personal lives a secret for a reason. And we ask that you respect that.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Those of you that try and stay calm so as to not attract akumas, we appreciate you. We wish we could meet everyone, but since that's not possible, I hope this video is a small comfort. Bugaboo and I appreciate you guys' support. It helps us keep going when things get clawfully difficat. Love you all, but this cat has to scat on over due to their civilian obligations. Until next time</span>
  </em>
  <span>!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya wasn't sure how to respond. She was going to have to take down the interview with Lila and issue an apology asap or else her credibility as a reporter would go down. If her favorite superheroes lost confidence and trust in her, she'd end up like Chloé. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She knew what she'd have to do during lunch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Lila showed up late to class, no one said anything. They weren't sure what to say. The girl had lied to them big time. It's not like they could anyway. They had a literature test. Like a novel in which the tension of the plot grew, so did the tension of the matter at hand. The great battle would come later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And so the morning remained like that. Very little was said until Adrien arrived and Lila was pulled out of class.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Gabriel couldn't believe his own son. The boy accused him of not giving him attention and not letting him be a teenager. What did Adrien know about being a parent? If he cared so much about the brand then surely he could spend his lunch time at the company. That should teach him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nathalie!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, Mr. Agreste?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Bring Adrien to me immediately and begin an investigation into my son's claims. These allegations cannot be spread. Contact Ms. Rossi about her contract with us. Surely the students at Adrien’s school must know by now. In any event, her involvement with us has come to an end. She cannot be trusted to keep an eye on Adrien and is a liability we must dispose of. My son is clearly in danger around the girl."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Very well sir."</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The blond model had expected his dad to summon him. It didn't make this any less scary. Adrien knew he was about to lose something he cared about. He wasn't sure what, but he was preparing to say goodbye to his friends and school. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You want to speak with me Father?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What you did is inexcusable. Do you know what you're putting me and the rest of the company through? Instead of trying to cry for attention, why not be productive? I'm going to have to address your allegations before lunchtime. You don't make this easy. I should not have to be cleaning up after you Adrien. You are no longer a child. You said so yourself. You're inheriting this company in the future. If that's what you want, then act like it. Because of what you said I can't withdraw you from school without raising questions, but you will be spending your lunches at the company until further notice. And yes, I know you don't think it's fair, but take it as an opportunity to learn how business lunches work."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I may not be small, but I'm still a child, Father. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Your</span>
  </em>
  <span> child. You and Mom decided to have me and Mom's not here. You have a responsibility to care for me. All I've wanted is for you to spend time with me and to show me that you still love me." Adrien was trying not to cry as he realized just how much his father didn't care. "Instead you put me to work for you and make a profit off of me as if I'm just another investment. I'm just another walking advertisement for you. Fine, I’ll go to your business lunches, but if you expect me to keep that commitment, I need to spend less time doing shoots and need less lessons. I also need time for myself so I can interact with people my own age. I can't be the face of a campaign whose audience I don't know. Hanging out with my friends lets me do that. You can think all of this as investments into the future of the company."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gabriel pondered his son's arguments. He made some intriguing points. If these investments would pacify his son's tantrum and help him prepare to take over once he was of age, he couldn’t turn down this negotiation. "Those terms are….acceptable. You may go to school."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you sir." Adrien said before leaving.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was only a matter of time until Lila Rossi came out as one of his strongest akumas again…</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The stares were on Adrien when he arrived to Ms. Bustier's class. Grabbing his exam, he began writing when Lila was called out into the hallway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nathalie was waiting for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hello, Ms. Rossi."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hello, Ms. Sancoeur."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your mother is waiting for us for our discussion. I'm sure you are aware about what this is about?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Very well."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nathalie and Lila headed to the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gabriel</span>
  </em>
  <span> building's meeting room shortly after. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Lila!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mom, I'm fine. Well, as fine as I could be. My friends aren't talking to me." The waterworks were coming out again. Anything to gain sympathy."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ms. Rossi, please take a seat. We have much to discuss."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't understand why I was called here." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You do understand that your daughter signed a modeling contract with us, correct?" began Nathalie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes. Lila said she was encouraged by her boyfriend, who is a model for the company."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nathalie wondered just how badly Lila had her mom wrapped around her finger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The only other teen model we have under contract is Mr. Agreste's own son, Adrien. As the assistant to </span>
  <em>
    <span>both</span>
  </em>
  <span> Mr. Agrestes, I can assure that Adrien is </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> in any kind of romantic relationship with your daughter."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That must be some kind of mistake. I've seen photos."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Those photos you have are fake. One of those photos was taken in order to provoke Adrien's girlfriend. She is also the daughter of one of our international business partners. The poor girl was akumatized. We had to do a lot to repair that business relationship."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Lila…" Ms. Rossi turned to her daughter with a deadly questioning look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Adrien loves me. Kagami was just a cover because he knew his father would not approve of us and Marinette is trying to steal him."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nathalie was trying not to laugh at the pathetic attempt to lie. "I'm the one that makes Adrien’s schedule. I  would know when his dates take place. Never has he been on a date with Lila. The other matter at hand is the multiple complaints brought forth against Lila."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Surely those must be just rumors. She's a minor, these adults don't want to teach a young lady."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Multiple employees and interns have brought forth complaints against Lila to our human resources department this morning in light of Adrien’s statement." Nathalie brought out a folder filled with the list of the complaints. "They vary in severity, but overall come to a consensus- Lila has overstepped boundaries of personal space, as well as threatened our employees and interns, many whom, while young adults, are students only a few years older than her."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not true! I could never hurt someone. I don't know what's happening but this is some kind of cruel joke."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There's video. Would you like to see Ms. Rossi?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I- What does Mr. Agreste want in exchange?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Lila will be terminated and no longer employed by us. Her contract henceforth null and void. If she leaves Collège Françoise Dupont, Mr. Agreste will consider not pressing charges against your daughter. The </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gabriel</span>
  </em>
  <span> brand is important to Mr. Agreste, but his son means to him more than anything. That includes Adrien’s safety and well-being."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How do I know he isn't lying to make Lila look bad?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Again, we have videos. We have testimonials. I assume we'll be seeing you in court Ms. Rossi."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nathalie stood up and sent Gabriel a quick text: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Done</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine. I'll withdraw Lila from the school."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wish you the best."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the Agreste mansion, Hawk Moth sensed the rage coming from Lila. "Ah, the anger and hatred at losing everything you worked for. Lying and manipulating to get your way is one way to gain power. Not everyone has the kind of persuasive ability. Losing that power means going after those that wronged you and regaining that power. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Lila, you are now </span>
  <em>
    <span>Reckoning</span>
  </em>
  <span>. With your abilities you can bring justice by taking away those who are most important to your enemies. In exchange, I require Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculouses."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"With pleasure."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lila savored the transformation and new powers she gained from the akuma that had attached to the empty folder she held. The complaints had been discarded. No longer was the Italian herself. Bright red wavy locks had taken the place of her brown hair. Reminiscent of her Volpina outfit, she was covered in a red-orange suit with black accents. In her hand was a sword. She </span>
  <em>
    <span>loved</span>
  </em>
  <span> this new found power she felt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>First up on her list was Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Take her out and Adrien would be all hers.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Marinette had spent the morning trying to wrap her head around Adrien’s interview. Then there was Chat's video. She wasn't sure whether to praise or scold that cat. She'd have to talk to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Opting for a change of scenery, Tom and Sabine sent their daughter to her grandparents' home. Gina and Roland had gone back to their home but still checked up on their only grandchild. Because of this, they were more than willing to have her for the day. As the three prepared to have breakfast, Marinette’s phone went off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>An akuma?! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clicking on the news report, Alya was seen running. "I'm not sure about everything yet, but incoming reports say that the Dupain-Cheng bakery was attacked by the akuma."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bakery was attacked? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maman and Papa! And the Miracle Box! She needed to go!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her body was fighting. Her instincts told her she needed to go, but her head told her to hide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she couldn't hide. Her family and Paris needed her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite the trembling, Marinette ran out of her grandparents into the nearest alley. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tikki, I don't know if I can do this! My parents, the Miracle box...What if something happened?! Master Fu trusted me with it. I still have a lot to figure out-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was going to be sick. She hadn't felt this sick since Lila-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was probably her, wasn't it? Adrien’s statement must've gotten her mad to the point of akumatization. And of course Lila went after her parents...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette, you're not alone. You have Chat Noir to help you. We can do this. Right now focus on your breathing and then focus on transforming. Then focus on getting home. Remember, break things down," Tikki said as she nuzzled her charge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Right. Baby steps." Taking a moment, she slowed down her breathing. She was still shaky, but Marinette was able to call out the transformation. "Tikki, spots on!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ladybug was freaking out as if it were her first time again. She was out of practice. What if she messed up or forgot to purify the akuma?</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Baby steps </span>
  </em>
  <span>she reminded herself. Swinging her yo-yo at a nearby roof, she tried not to yell.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Merry Christmas!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The exam had been interrupted thanks to the akuma alert. Alya was already out the door when Adrien read the posts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette’s home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was only one possible reason for this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without waiting to be excused, he ran to the bathroom. Soon Chat Noir found himself tangled up with Ladybug thanks to her yo-yo on a nearby roof. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My Lady you're back!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"H-Hi Kitty."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I knew you'd come, but I didn't expect you to reel me in so soon after your break."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I-I missed you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I missed you too." Normally he'd have kissed her hand, but… "My claws are a bit tangled at the meowment or else I would have hugged you. And I don't think you'd be okay with nuzzling even though I am a cat you adore and purrtect. So about that clawver pawsent I have for you-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ladybug managed to untangle them both from her yo-yo but then proceeded to kiss him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn't expect a kiss with LB to be in the middle of an akuma attack, but since things with Marinette-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chat broke the kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ladybug, I know we talked about this the last time we saw each other in person, but I shouldn't do this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry. I'm sorry! It's been a month since I last used my yo-yo and I'm scared. Part of me wants to hide. I'm doing better, but I don't know how to be my old self. I'm scared of going near the akuma. And even though it looks like I may have a chance with the other boy, I'm still not sure if he's the one..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The superhero hugged his partner. "We'll figure something out."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A scream from nearby broke the moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We-We should get going, but talk later?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Pawmise!"</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Tom and Sabine were thankful Marinette wasn’t home when the akuma hit them with their power. They had been manipulated into blaming their daughter's lack of self-confidence for her own health issues. The aura they radiated began to influence people that were trying to flee the area. With her army growing, Reckoning set her eyes on Adrien. Surely Marinette was at school now that she was gone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ladybug and Chat Noir saw the army led by Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What about their daughter?" Chat's ears were on high alert for a sign of his friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If she’s not here, she must be hiding or she wasn't at home when Lila arrived."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That still doesn't explain what Lila wants with-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ladybug, Chat Noir! If you care about saving Marinette Dupain-Cheng's family you will bring your Miraculouses. My sword will determine their fate!" Lila's voice boomed throughout the vicinity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So that answers the question. What's the plan Lady- Bugaboo what's wrong?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A sword? Who gave Lila a sword?! Her parents had nothing to do with this!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Having seen Marinette in a similar state before, Chat’s instincts kicked in with Ladybug. He gently held his partner as he waited for her breathing to steady and her shaking to subside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ladybug was trying </span>
  <em>
    <span>so hard</span>
  </em>
  <span> to not fall apart. She knew what needed to be done but these were her parents! Sure the Miraculous Ladybug cure would bring them back, but it wouldn’t stop the nightmares afterwards.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"K-Kitty?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, Bug?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I-I was wanting to wait to-to do this, and I know this is a bad time, but-but…" The superheroine paused to take a deep breath. "She- She has my parents." She hid her face against his chest as the tears released. "She- She went after my pa-pare-rents to get to me. She- She won't stop until- until I'm out of her way Chaton. I have no idea what to do! I'm scared and feel helpless. What if- What if she had gotten the Miracle box?! I'm tired, Chat. I'm so tired. I just want things to be over so we can- we can be h-happy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I-I thought I'd be happy with Adrien, but there’s so much against us. It's hard for me to not fall for him again. He's been there with me since we got back from New York. He's just a friend, but I-I don't know if I can love him and keep being Ladybug. But I can't give this up. You and so many people are counting on me…" She pulled her head up to look at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I love you. I'm not sure how or why- or why I'm saying it now, but I love you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was usually the cat that caught someone's tongue. This time it was the Ladybug that caught the Chat's tongue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If all 4 of his ears heard correctly, his Lady, his Bugaboo, Ladybug is his Princess. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette. And she liked him. Both sides of him!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If it weren't for the circumstances, he'd be delighted, but there were bigger issues at paw which is why he was even more pissed off at Lila.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ended up pretty much forcing Ladybug to reveal her identity. He knew that his partner normally wouldn't have revealed her identity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"LB, before I give you an answer, do you think you'll be able to do this? If we need to go get more users-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We have no time." She had stopped crying, but was still visibly shaken. "We- We'll have to do it ourselves. No one else should be put in danger."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gave her a chaste kiss. "You and me against the world, Purrincess."</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Retribution had grown tired of waiting. Marinette was nowhere to be found and her parents were of no use. They expressed anger at their daughter, but were useless. She guessed it was time to tactics.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No more waiting! Ladybug, Chat Noir, if you want these miserable humans to be safe, I guess dropping them from the Eiffel Tower will be the best option won't it?" She floated away, her army right behind as their cries also demanded Marinette show up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya had managed to stream live the entire time. There had been a few close calls, but fortunately she hadn't been in the line of fire. "Marinette, if you're watching, don't do anything crazy and go after your parents or try to take on Lila. I know I'm not the best person to say that right now given the circumstances, but the akuma will do whatever it takes to win. She's dead set on hurting you. Stay safe please. There's people that want to make things right, but they can't do that if you're taking on an akuma."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wasn't sure if that would work, but she tried. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Following the trail of hypnotized searchers was fairly easy but she tried to stay hidden as much as possible. It was only a matter of time before Paris' guardians showed up.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Ladybug was rusty with her yo-yo. That much was obvious. It's not like she had a lot of time to practice either. She had been under supervision most of the day every day for the past month. Sure, she'd transform from time to time, but that was to talk to Chat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hoped her instincts would kick in and that whatever fighting had to be done would be second nature now like riding a bike- once you learn, it was muscle memory.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chat led the way, allowing Ladybug to get readjusted to being on rooftops and in the air. Surprisingly it wasn't insane outside. The army of zombies grew, and they kept demanding Marinette, but it's not like they were going wild.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they approached the Eiffel Tower, Retribution came into view. Her hair had grown in length. The hair held the hollow beings that were Tom and Sabine as they dangled from the top.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ladybug had flashbacks to the first time they faced Lila. Volpina had almost caused her to give up her miraculous back then. It turned out to be a trap, but these were her parents. She had seen the Ladyblog stream. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking a look ahead, she contemplated going for the direct route. It was reckless, but she wasn't in the mood. She wanted her parents back and she wanted to be with her Kitty. Her head told her to flee, but her heart had had enough of Lila's bull. Both the boys she loved had played a part in Lila going down. Her parents believed her and supported her. She owed them this much. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Bug, I know you want to dive right in, but we have no clue what else she's capable of."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And what do you expect me to do? Try and figure out by sneaking around?! I'm not going to let her trick me. Those are my parents she's hurting!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She tricked you with Adrien Agreste as Volpina. If I hadn't stopped you back then, who knows where we'd be. I'm not saying you're a Princess in distress, I'm just saying that right now I'm the one who can think more rationally. We need to trick her. She's going to expect us to have a complicated plan of yours. What if we take the direct route, but under a guise?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We use the fox Miraculous to create the illusion that Marinette is on her way. That should hopefully draw the army away. Then we go in with another Miraculous to swoop in. I don't see that she's holding anything other than a sword. I Cataclysm that, and problem solved."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If I wasn't so nervous right now…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You'd what? Kiss me?" Chat said with his fake ears perked up with expectant praise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He got hit with the yo-yo instead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're making me change my mind Kitty."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You still love me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Get a life." </span>
</p><p><span>"</span><em><span>You</span></em> <em><span>are</span></em><span> my life, LB. The love of my life."</span></p><p>
  <span>"You stay here like the good puppy you are. I'll be back with the Miraculouses."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Meowch." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Stay."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Bri</span>
  <span>ng the dog Miraculous why don’t you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't give me ideas, Chat."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I love you too!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>LB quickly swung back to her room. If illusion was going to take part, they may as well keep giving trouble Lila trouble. Her gut was telling her to grab the space power up cheese and macaron. She had been meaning to give it to Chat, but since he hadn't asked for replacement cheese yet, she figured it was worth waiting. With the fox and monkey Miraculouses in her yo-yo, the superheroine quickly went back to her partner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That was fast."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think you're going to have a bit too much fun causing trouble."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She handed him the circlet as she put on the fox Miraculous. "Xuppu's Uproar will cause an item to appear. When it hits the target, it causes their power to not work properly."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So I get to target Lila twice? That's enough for me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Chat, she's still a person no matter how... twisted she is."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're right..." Placing the circlet on his head, he calls out the transformation. "Plagg, Xuppu, unify." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tikki, Trixx, unify."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not what I imagined." Chat Noir's suit included brown and gold accents on his suit. At his side was the Ruji Jingu Bang. "These aren't swords, but now I can finally say I'm the French, duel-wielding swordstaff black cat! Call me Chat Roi." Looking over to Ladybug, he opened his mouth to make a joke, but-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't call me Lady Fox, and no, I'm not your 'Foxy Lady' or 'Foxybug' either. It's Renabug."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why not?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Chat, we're not adults. Do you know what that would sound like if you were caught saying any of those names?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Trouble?" He guessed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Exactly." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Now focus!" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, Renabug." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Opening her yo-yo, she gave him the space power up cheese. "Hold onto that. Something tells me we're going to need it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renabug began making her way to one of the buildings just past the Trocadero Gardens in order to scout. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chat Roi followed, unusually quiet as he put away the cheese. For him, this whole morning had been long and stressful. He couldn’t imagine what Marinette was going through right now, but he wondered what's caused such a sudden change in her behavior. She wasn't well and now she was showing signs of her old self. Although he doesn't have anxiety himself, he'd been around Mari long enough this month to pick up on her signs of distress. It was second nature now to try and comfort her, which is why he reacted instinctively with LB. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then when she revealed who she was, her current state at the time made even more sense. The past trauma from Lila, the stress of the situation and fearing for her parents was a lot to take in. Neither one of them had mentioned anything about it since the initial mention, but he was sure she'd regret telling him. It was going to hurt knowing it's her, but not being able to be with her with or without the mask. Knowing his partner, he was expecting the "It's too dangerous. We'll have to wait," reason. He'd learn to live with it for a few more years at the latest he hoped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ladybug wasn't going to admit just how terrified she was. Her parents were in danger thanks to her archnemesis, and under duress, she had revealed to her partner that she is Marinette. Overall, it didn't look good for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So she's trying to trick her brain into thinking that she's playing with Chat. Well more like flirting with him as a way to not get lost in her thoughts. It's a simple thing that gets her brain focused on something else other than her stomach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was weird having akumas that </span>
  <em>
    <span>didn't</span>
  </em>
  <span> cause chaos and destruction. Retribution was just floating atop the point of the Eiffel Tower. What was she waiting for?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If I create an illusion of us coming to attack from in front, it'll be easier for the people under her watch to destroy the illusion. Do you think if I create an illusion of Marinette carrying both Miraculouses it'll draw enough attention away so we can sneak from behind? Or should I try to combine?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chat tilted his head to the side as he analyzed the situation. "Well, Lila's not one to fall for traps easily. She wants Adrien probably. There's also that to consider. Adrien will draw her in close but Marinette will draw out her hatred. Knowing her, if we were to bargain for her to let Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng go, she'll take Adrien and drop them without a second thought."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're right. It's going to take both of us to rescue them," agreed Renabug. "I guess create the illusion that Adrien will agree to go with Retribution if she lets them go while Marinette gives up and is off to the side sad and heartbroken saying Lila was right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's worth a shot, but should I have the Uproar ready in case we get an opening?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not right now. It'll activate your timer and you might need both your staffs."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Bugaboo?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, Kitty?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If something happens-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Save it for when Lila finally goes down. I want something to look forward to."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And you say that I'm the cocky one."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not cocky. I'm being optimistic."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Whatever you say."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renabug raised her flute to her lips. Before playing it, she focused on her illusion. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Marinette is off to the side, surrendering in heartbreak as Adrien admits he was wrong. Adrien agrees to let Lila do whatever she wants as long as Tom and Sabine are let go. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She blew into the flute and summoned the illusion. "Mirage!" The ball of light traveled and then dispersed itself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>From a distance, the superheroes could see the hypnotized civilians split into groups as 'Adrien' and 'Marinette' headed towards the Eiffel Tower from two directions. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Make way you idiots!" Retribution yelled as a determined smile stretched across her face. "Come Adrien. You don't want the pathetic girl that is Marinette Dupain-Cheng, do you? Why have her when you could have a queen such as myself."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Far from where the akuma was, but still close enough so that the illusion didn't break, 'Marinette' cried. "You're- You're right Lila. I don't deserve Adrien. I don't deserve his heart. I'm not worthy of him. You won. You turned my friends against me, you took away everyone I cared for and love. Please just end my misery."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>'Adrien' looked between the two girls as he smirked. "Before I serve you my queen, why don't we make Marinette pay for all the trouble she's given us?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I love it! What do you have in mind?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let her parents 'drop in' on their daughter?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Excellent!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Retribution began floating down towards the ground…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Get ready to catch one of them, Chat," ordered Renabug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of course." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Retribution quickly descended and her hair let go of Tom and Sabine mid-air. The hypnotization wore off as the parents could be heard yelling while falling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nnnnnnooooooo!" Both Renabug and 'Marinette' yelled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renabug and Chat Roi sprang from their hidden location as they ate the power up. Cosmobug and Astro Chat flew toward the adults. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The illusion had started breaking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Retribution was furious. "Go after those blasted idiots!" she ordered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cosmobug and Astro Chat tried to dodge some of the people that had been trying to bring them down. It was too close for comfort as they flew higher. Luckily they were able to catch the adults. Cosmobug used her yo-yo to swing and slow down her descent whilst carrying Sabine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uproar!" called Astro Chat as Lila's hair made its way to him. A wad of gum appeared in his hand. "Well that's one way to do it…. Hey Lila, come and get me!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He raced toward Tom as the akuma's hair reached inches away from him. With a toss, he stuck the gum into the hair. Quickly, he grabbed Tom, and with Cosmobug's help, they were able to bring him to safety.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cosmobug let Astro Chat do the talking. If she tried to talk, she guessed that she wouldn't be able to continue facing the akuma.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng, your daughter's safe, but you have to leave the area quickly. The akuma's powers won't be held off for long," the blond hero told them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After thanking the heroes, the married couple began their exit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While this occurred, Retribution was losing control of her minions. Many of them were no longer under her trouble. No longer brainwashed, the civilians began fleeing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Get back here you insolent people. I made you better!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking advantage of the situation, Cosmobug threw her flute at the akuma.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You!" Someone wasn't happy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Retribution began to charge her hair and sword to attack Cosmobug, but Astro Chat blocked her. "No one can defeat the dual staff-wielding black cat!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Retribution cackled at hearing this. "No one asked for your stupid name you piece of alley space trash." She tried to push against him with her sword, but Chat's tail, as usual, acted on its own accord. This time, wrapping itself onto one of his opponent's legs, and causing her to begin tripping. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Once I get Adrien to myself and get rid of Marinette Dupain-Cheng, you're next! I'll get your skin and- Let me go you miniscule fairy!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cosmobug had trapped Retribution with her yo-yo. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you'll do the honors Kitty."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My pleasure. Cataclysm!" Chat's ball of destruction energy hit the sword and out flew the akuma. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Grab a hold of her while I wrap up."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With Lila back to normal, she tried to cat scratch the cat hero. Chat used his belt to tie her up for the time being.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Quickly, Cosmobug did her stuff. "No more evil doing for you little akuma… Time to de-evilize! Gotcha… Bye bye little butterfly."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As a crowd began gathering under the Eiffel Tower to witness the heroes, the superheroine called forth her Lucky Charm. "An umbrella? But it's not raining."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It was raining during the afternoon the day we met Bugaboo."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, boo-Who cares about a stupid umbrella? It's worthless. Both of you don't care about anything other than looking good for the cameras. If you weren't around, I wouldn't have been akumatized." Lila was trying to go after the superheroine despite the restraint from the belt. "Once I'm free, you'll be sorry you crossed me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Internally rolling her eyes, Cosmobug tossed the umbrella into the air. "Miraculous Ladybug!"</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>"You may have stopped the growth of the illusion of desperation Ladybug and Chat Noir, but next time, you'll find out not all dreams come true…." said Hawk Moth in defeat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chat was having a difficult time not making Lila more miserable than she already was as the damage began getting fixed. "Someone please make sure Officer Raincomprix is on his way. This is the person that's been bugging Adrien Agreste and the one that has been akumatized one too many times over petty things."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cosmobug reverted back to Renabug just as Alya arrived. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh my god! Ladybug has the fox powers?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I would love to give an interview, Alya, but Chat and I's timers are almost up. Maybe another time."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's cool. Thank you for everything you do," the Ladyblogger said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, I heard that Chat Noir needed me for something?" Officer Raincomprix asked, pulling up with some officers to clear the area.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, sir I do. I'm about to detransform so to make this short: Lila Rossi here, who is in the same class as the Ladyblogger, the Mayor's daughter, Gabriel Agreste's son </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> your own daughter, has been threatening students and overstepping personal boundaries of Adrien Agreste. She also threatened My Lady and I just now. Ladyblogger should have it all on video since she's still streaming."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is there evidence?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Check with the school, the Ladyblog, the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gabriel</span>
  </em>
  <span> brand and with Mrs. Rossi over at the Italian embassy."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Chat we need to go. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Now</span>
  </em>
  <span>." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Untying the belt, Chat set Lila free, but the girl didn't get far. Her mother had arrived on the scene. "Lila Nerezza Rossi… Ladybug, Chat Noir. I'm beyond sorry. My daughter has caused so much trouble…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mrs. Rossi, Lila's been lying since we first met her. She isn't my best friend. She never was. The only time I've interacted with her is when she's been akumatized. She also stole from Gabriel Agreste. I can't disclose more info because of privacy matters. Talk to your daughter. I need to go."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The superheroine left the scene. Exhaustion was catching up to her as her Miraculous beeped. That definitely felt like more than 5 minutes. Did that mean she was getting stronger…?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ladybug, wait up!"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Thank you to everyone that's given kudos, reviewed and/ir subscribed to the story so far! I haven't done a lot of AN since I haven't had much to say, but I do want to say it means a lot. I'm always curious to see what y'all think will happen next.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Stopping at a roof near her home, Ladybug waited for her partner to catch up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I need to go Chat. My timer's about to go out."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We need to talk." Chat held her hand as he stared at her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Later."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"The umbrella Lucky Charm was a clue from Tikki I bet."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You said it rained after we met?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That same afternoon."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Beep</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ladybug let go of Chat's hand and grabbed her yo-yo. "Kitty, we can talk tonight. I need to go home. I have family that'll be wondering where I went and I'm tired. If I don’t hurry, I'm probably going to pass out."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll carry you home," offered Chat with arms open wide. "You do rather enjoy snuggling with me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Whoa, Kitty. I've hugged you and kissed you, but I've never snuggled you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Do I have to a-paw-logize again for this to click?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ladybug was not in the mood. She rubbed her temples to avoid lashing out at her partner. "Chat Noir, what’s your point?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Beep</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"My paw-oint is that you kissed me twice earlier and ended up telling me who you really are. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Princess</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And now you expect me to wait so we can talk? I'm glad it's you, but now I need answers. Why do you want to be with me, but decide to forget about Adrien after what you went through with him in New York?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>New York? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ladybug rested her hands on her hips as she questioned the cat. "What do you know about New York?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You like Adrien. You're in his class, which means you really are my Princess, LB. You went to New York for the French-American week. Do I need to say it out loud?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So she really had told her partner who she was? She rubbed her face, trying not to get mad. She was emotionally drained and out of it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Chat, this really isn't the best time for this conversation, trust me. I want to talk to you so I can explain everything, but you need to be patient with me," she explained. Her eyes showed just how out of it she was. "It's been a long morning. I didn't even have breakfast. I'm running out of energy and I didn't pack anything for Tikki. I do not want to be stuck here."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Beep</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Then go home, recharge and come back out."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm not at home today. I'm with other family members. I ran out on them. They and my parents are probably worried sick. I have to figure out how I'm going to explain my disappearance."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I can help," Chat offered his paw. "But you'll need to trust me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I trust you with my life. What else do you want?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Your heart?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I told you I love you this morning and a month ago!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I want to do things properly, Bug. We need to talk."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Chat, you're not listening. I explained that I need to go," Ladybug repeated. "I need to go check up on my parents. I need to check up on the Box. I don't have time to be arguing about our love life right now!" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So you admit we are a couple?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I haven't agreed to anything. You trying to rush my decision isn't going to help."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Beep</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm not trying to rush you into anything."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I know you're excited but I can't wait anymore. I have less than a minute. I need to find cover. I'll try and make it to patrol tonight so we can talk."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You can't just leave things the way they are!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Goodbye Chat." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She jumped down into the nearby alley and waited for the detransformation to take place. She put away the fox Miraculous in her purse. "Tikki, Trixx, I'll get you food as soon as I'm-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her phone started ringing. It was probably one of her parents or grandparents obviously worried. Expecting it to be one of them, she answered without looking. "I'm fine. I'm on my way home."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That's good to hear. So can I see you in a bit. I can't make it to lunch today."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Adrien?!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Why do you sound surprised Marinette? Did you miss me?" Hearing his flirting over the phone was one thing. Having to deal with it in person was another.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Adrien… I need to talk to you too."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She made her way back to the bakery. It was closer than her grandparents' home. She was only a few blocks away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll head over once I get my stuff from school."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You aren't at school?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I… got caught in the akuma attack."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh…".</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How are you doing? I can't imagine what you're going through right now."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"My morning's been emotionally draining, but I've had worse. I'm cautiously optimistic."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stayed on the line even though she felt like collapsing. Just how much crap did she put herself through?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Um, can I ask you something?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sure, Mari."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How are you doing? You've been helping me all these weeks and I haven’t been a very good friend. I haven't really checked in with you," Marinette admitted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm fine…," Adrien trailed off. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Adrien, I-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll see you in a bit, okay?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sure."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something was off with Adrien. She wasn't sure what though. He didn't seem happy about something. Could it have been something she said or that something at school happened?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The designer crossed the street to reach the bakery. She didn't expect to find 12 people waiting alongside her parents, 10 of them pleading.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her classmates were back. Chloé was off to the side with Sabrina. Marinette stayed back silently around the corner, but could hear the conversation. She was yawning and her body felt heavy...</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Adrien pushed Ladybug when she wasn't ready to talk and now talking to her civilian side, he could tell she was distracted. He needed to apologize and make it up to her. Hopefully, she'd understand him even if she didn't forgive him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not long after LB left him on the roof, he detransformed. He quickly fed Plagg, transformed again and stopped by his room to pick up Ladybug’s gift. Is it a gift if he was returning something?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn't know what kind of etiquette that was, but he figured Plushie Chat Noir was missed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once mini Chat was in his paw, Adrien headed over to school to gather his stuff. Clearly no classes would resume until after lunch, and his lunches weren't free time anymore, so he had to prepare with the little free time he had left.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Detransforming in one of the closets on the top floor, Adrien went to the locker room. None of his classmates were around so Plagg popped out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Kid, I'm proud of you. For the most part."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Um, thanks?" he answered confused before realizing the second part of the statement. "Hey!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You managed to bring the brat down, but you pushed your luck with your Princess Pigtails. You realize she calls the shots, right?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Plagg’s right!" Xuppu popped up next to him. "She could make things go bananas! Speaking of bananas, do you have some in your lunch? I could go for some bananas."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't. Sorry, Xuppu. Plagg, she won't take you away."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I never said that."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You're implying it. Besides, I told you in New York I'd never let you go, remember? Who else will put up with you?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You and Pigtails' kittens?" Plagg teased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, they'd be such good climbers once I teach them. Roarr and Longg will probably want to teach them how to be warriors…" Xuppu continued. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien blushed as he finished gathering his stuff. "We- I'm not marrying her."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yet," the small black cat said as he and the monkey kwami dove into his backpack.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Removing the circlet from his head, Adrien put it in his backpack with Plagg and walked over to the bakery, Chat plushie in hand. He could see his classmates were already there. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"She won't talk unless she wants to, get it through your heads," muttered the blonde girl.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That could have been put in kinder words… Marinette will talk to you once she's ready," Sabine said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom followed his wife. "We understand that all of you are worried about her, and want to make things right, but we won't be forcing her into a position she doesn't want to take."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We know what we did isn't something to forgive so easily. We aren't expecting forgiveness so soon. We just want to see her."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Adrien says she's fine, but it's not the same."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the teens continued their arguments, Adrien made his way over to Marinette, who was supporting herself against the wall of the building.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Marinette," he whispered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The girl was out of it so for once she didn’t scream or jump. "Adrien? When did you get here?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Just now. How long have they've been there?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't know. I'm not paying too much attention. I'm hungry and tired." She rubbed her eyes to fight off drowsiness.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Why not go through the door to your home?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Maman and Papa are waiting for me. They need to see that I'm fine."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How about going in through the front door of your house, into the kitchen bakery, get you coffee and then you can see your parents?" he suggested.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"If it means avoiding them, ok."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette backed up around the corner and walked over to the front door. A bit slow in her movements, she managed to unlock the door and head in. Adrien helped guide her to the bakery. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll take the coffee cold. I don’t care. I just want to be able to relax," fussed Marinette as she sat down on a stool by one of the countertops. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Uh, where do you-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Pitcher, coffee machine, stove," she muttered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I've never seen you this tired."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"There's a first time for everything. Thanks." Grabbing the cup Adrien placed in front of her, Marinette chugged it down and wiped her mouth. "If I have to be out there, and they think I'm crazy, at least the coffee should help."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She hopped off of the stool and took a deep breath as she marched to the bakery's entrance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien ran after her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Maman, Papa, I keep hearing a lot of noise. What's going-," Marinette froze upon seeing the faces of her classmates. She planned on faking not knowing they were there, but actually seeing them face-to-face was more difficult than she thought.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took Tom and Sabine a moment to realize their daughter was there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Marinette, you're home, dear?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I- I'm sorry for not staying with Grandpa and Nonna, but after what happened…"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sabine and Tom hugged their daughter. "We're okay. We'll call Nonna and Grandpa and let them know you’re safe. If you need anything, we'll be in the back."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the adults left, 14 teenagers were left standing in awkwardness. No one was sure who should make the first move. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette knew it had to be her. As sick as she felt in her stomach, they just wanted to see her, even if they couldn't explain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm-I'm not sure when, or if, I'll be ready to talk with you all again. I've…" her eyes clenched shut as the sick feeling increased. "There's a lot to take in at once and too many things are changing faster than I can keep up. I don't know how you'll be able to earn my trust back. I just don't know. I know you all must feel guilty about how you acted. I can't blame you entirely, but I guess… I guess, I expected more from you?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Opening her eyes, she quickly glanced around before looking down at the sidewalk. "I had hoped that some of you would've at least listened to what I had to say before dismissing what I said as just jealousy over Adrien. I don't know if there's anything else I can say. I won't keep you here any longer than necessary. I'll let Maman and Papa know that you all can come back to the bakery to shop."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Things haven't been the same without you around," said Alya as she sniffled. The reporter had obviously been crying. "Even Chloé has stopped being rude during class."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That's ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!" could be heard from the back. "How dare you imply that I actually care, Césaire. I've always said what I feel."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette softly giggled as she gave a tiny half smile. "I… missed you too, Chloé. I hope things with your parents are going well."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We're fine. Are we done here? Sabrina needs to focus on our paper for history class."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"There are 3 hours, 5 minutes and 24 seconds until lunch," Max said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We could sneak in extra rehearsal in the music room if anyone wants to come listen," said Rose. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sure."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Marinette-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm okay. You guys deserve to enjoy yourselves. Bye." The designer waved them off as everyone except Alya and Nino walked across the street.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Al, we should go. Marinette looks like she needs a break."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's only going to take a sec." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Ladyblogger looked behind Marinette to Adrien, who had remained silent the whole time. "Adrien."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, Alya."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"About that talk we had in New York-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm not dating him, Alya," interjected Marinette. "Something's come up and it's complicated."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I figured as much, but since he's spending so much time with you, if he hurts you-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"My Papa will take care of it before even I can. I understand that all of you are worried about my heart, but you all lost the right to call yourselves my friends after everything that's happened."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Alya looked at her (ex?) best friend in shock.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Al, we should go before you make things worse. We saw that she's fine. We don't want to overstay our welcome," said Nino.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I know you said we'll need to earn your trust back, but if you shut us out, it'll be your fault, not ours," Alya stated. "If you do decide to come back to class, your old seat is still there. Ms. Bustier still marks you present in class everyday. I know things with Lila messed things up, but we didn't let her takeover completely. When she suggested to move to your spot, I was the first one to stop her before her butt sat on the seat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That seat is the reason you and I met and became best friends. It's the reason Chloé put the gum and the misunderstanding with Adrien happened, thus causing you to meet the boy that won your heart even if it took him 2 years to realize it. Believe what you want, but all of us are still hopeful you'll come back soon."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With that, Alya turned and began walking to school. Nino waved goodbye to them both and chased after his girlfriend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette closed the door, marched to get a croissant and shoved it in her mouth as she walked past her parents. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Adrien was unsure of what to do, but he was sent after his crush with a tray of sandwiches and a slice of cake. Placing the tray in the kitchen, he grabbed his stuff from downstairs and placed them in the living room. The Chat Noir plushie and monkey Miraculous were in his hand as he knocked on the door to Marinette’s room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What?!" Someone sounded annoyed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Mari, can I come in?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette sat on her bed punching her cat pillow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Meowch, what did the poor cat do to you?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How does she know exactly what to say?" she asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"She’s been your best friend since you met. She's not lying about everyone hoping to see you again," he responded, climbing up the stairs. The items in his hand were behind his back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It doesn’t change that they hurt me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It doesn’t, but what's happened has made them realize what we all did wrong. No one said you have to be friends again. They just want your forgiveness."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe later on. Right now I'm just waiting to hear that Lila's not in trouble. That'll make today better."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You don’t mean that."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"She always manages to find a way to get her way. Why should now be any different?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You saw what happened after she was de-akumatized, right? With Ladybug and Chat Noir having commented on camera about her, it'll be hard for her to avoid trouble."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You're not giving yourself enough credit either," Marinette said, putting the cat pillow away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Thanks… Speaking of that, there's something I need to tell you about lunch."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Did something happen?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"My Father took care of the Lila matter at work in order to avoid any more negative press. I didn't really have a lot of options so I negotiated with him. In exchange for more free time and less lessons, I have to spend my lunch at the company. It's part of my preparation to take over the company. I wanted you to hear it from me before you thought I left you hanging."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh…" Marinette was saddened, but if it gave him more time, then she wouldn't complain. "I'm a little sad to be honest, but if you get more time to hang out with your friends, that's great! I'll still have your macarons ready. Don't feel guilty about having to change things for me. If it means that we may get to hang out more, I'll look forward to it."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That's good. With that out of the way," the model continued. "There's something I've been wanting to know…"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"About what?" Marinette had a bad feeling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Why did you change your mind? About us after what happened in New York?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't love you romantically anymore…"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Both teens knew Marinette was lying.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm trying to understand why, though. If it wasn't my fault, what changed your mind?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I have a huge responsibility. One that means I can't commit to anyone without putting them in danger. One that could mean I could lose all my memories…"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>She's talking about the Guardianship…</span>
  </em>
  <span> "Are you in danger?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Not as long as I can keep my secrets and I don't involve those I care about. I screwed up once and ended up losing a mentor. I don't want to be put in their position. There's no way I'd be able to explain to my family and friends what happened because they won't know. If-If I dated you and I lost my memories, you would be gone. Everyone would be gone. My memories of my entire life gone in instant. My parents, grandparents, our first kiss…" Marinette trailed off as her voice began to crack.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So, don't tell me. I trust you to do what you need to do. That shouldn't stop you from following your heart, Mari."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I love someone else!" She blurted out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You don't mean that."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"They're the only one who understands the burden and responsibility I'm dealing with. I've already kissed him and agreed to settle down with him once we're older."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Marinette, you don't have to do this." Adrien was hurt and not hurt at the same time. He knew her reasoning, but was sad that she didn't want to take that chance with him. She only wanted to take the chance with his alter ego.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Adrien, I've had it up to here today," she argued, raising her hand up to her head. "Lila screwed up the last 2 years of my life. She tried to hurt my parents and in the time she was scheming and plotting who knows what, the people I thought I could count on, didn't try and listen to me. 'You're just jealous.' 'Adrien’s with Kagami, you don't need to be jealous of Lila because she works with him.' Over and over the girls told me. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"This past month has been both helpful and confusing. I'm getting better at understanding how my brain works. I can understand </span>
  <em>
    <span>why</span>
  </em>
  <span> I have anxiety. But I'm having to follow my heart. My heart is tired of waiting. And as much as I want things to turn out happy for us, your dad and your obligations are always going to be in the way. My personal responsibilities are also going to be in the way. I may end up forgetting about whatever we had. It's not fair to either of us."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien argued back. "You aren't giving me an opportunity to have a say. What if you do forget who you are? That won't change who you are as a person. I didn't fall for you because of your looks. I love you because of your heart. You already trust me when I wear a mask. I want you to trust me when I'm not wearing it and when I'm not making the cat puns that annoy you, yet you secretly love."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She looked at him confused. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Cat puns</span>
  </em>
  <span>? There was only one person who made cat puns around her…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He placed the box holding the monkey miraculous on the shelf behind her. Sitting next to her on the edge of the bed, he handed her the plushie. "You can try and get rid of mew, but I'm still going to be around furr-ever, my Purrincess."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette wasn’t sure how to process what just happened. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Did Adrien just pun? 3 times in a sentence?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Wh-Where did you get this?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"A month ago when we first got back from New York. That was the day you had gone missing. Ladybug kissed Chat and said she wanted to be with him. He stopped her because it didn't feel right at the moment. She had Chat plushie with her, but forgot to take it home with her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Then this morning Ladybug told Chat she loves him again and kissed him, admitting that she wants to be with him. She revealed that her parents were the ones Lila had captured. Since Chat has met Marinette's parents before, he knew it was his Princess."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"And because he can't say my name, Plagg either calls me Princess or Pig-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"-tails. He's had a habit of calling you my girlfriend since the first day."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"But-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her crush and her Kitty were one and the same! She should be happy, then why does she feel like running away?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You won't be able to protect the boys you love because they're the same person. He's the one that's been sacrificing himself for you this entire time. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You can't take away his Miraculous, but you can prevent his akumatization.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We have to wait until Hawk Moth is defeated. It's for both of our safeties."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We've gone through all of this- all the secrets, the lies, the trying to move on, the rejections and hurt, the kisses we've shared and sacrificing our own happiness for Paris- just so you can still tell me no? I know you Marinette, and I know Ladybug. You wouldn't do this without a reason. You know why you're changing your mind again, but you don't want to tell me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien didn't want to get mad. He didn't want to snap at her, but she wasn't thinking about him. She was thinking </span>
  <em>
    <span>for </span>
  </em>
  <span>him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He pleaded with Marinette. "We've already dealt with you keeping me out of the loop. I promised Plagg I wouldn't give him up, but I don't know what else to do to get you to understand that I'm not giving up on you. We're partners. What is it that you can't trust me enough to tell me? If I can try and understand, maybe we can figure out how we can be happy and together."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette knew he had a point, but her heart wanted to protect him. "Adrien, please… I don't- I don't want to-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What? Pull out the 'I'm the Guardian so I'm going to order you to stay away unless an akuma is around' card? You wouldn't dare. You can't do this to us."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Do you think I want to?!" She saw how much she was hurting him. Being around his friends and being Chat were what made him happy. He's done so much for her and this was how she was going to prevent his akumatization? By rejecting him? "I have a huge responsibility to everyone. I can't afford to make a mistake. I can’t." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was scared. She was scared and panicking and crying. How can she protect him?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Is that what you see me as? As something that could be a mistake? So all that talk about trust and it being us against the world means nothing?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes were glass. Just like that other Chat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Our love destroyed the world… The flooded city, everyone except him… Her poor little Kitty all alone on a roof….</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The fear was eating at her and she couldn't scream. She couldn't yell. No sound came out, just hyperventilating.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Soft humming filled her ears as the scent of Adrien's Number 4 cologne filled her nose. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was the song from when Adrien had first helped her stay calm…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She's not facing Chat Blanc.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She's at home, in her room, with Adrien, her Kitty.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took her a moment to get back to her surroundings. Adrien had a very soft look on his face as he hummed and drew circles on her hands.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was he trying to help without pushing her boundaries so she wouldn't be even more upset?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was ugly crying into his chest as she hugged him tight. She was scared of losing him, even if she was too afraid to admit it out loud. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sorry Mari," he whispered against her head. "I guess I'm just mad that things end up complicated for us. I know it's not your fault. Neither one of us asked to be stuck like this."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He rubbed her back softly, holding her until things subsided. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't want my Kitty alone by himself, let alone on a roof," she mumbled against his shirt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You know about that?" Adrien couldn't recall when he ever sang that in front of Ladybug.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You-You sang it once. Well, not you. It was a different you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"A different me? I'm guessing you don't mean my cousin Felix, do you?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"He's a liar, a creep and a thief. No… Remember the hat I gave you?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"The one that you said was from my Brazilian fans?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Uh huh…"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What about it?" he asked. He wasn't sure what this had to do with the song.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I lied. I made it."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I know.  You admitted it in New York. I love it even more. It means a lot coming from you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I didn't sign the card on purpose. I couldn't or else the world would end."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He chuckled at the thought. "Isn't that a bit overdramatic?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Not when Bunnyx tells you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What happened?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm not sure. Bunnyx came and got me after I had signed the card. She said that I needed to fix an akuma in the future. That- That-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Somehow the hat and the card caused an akuma." He felt her nod in confirmation. "Ok. So you fixed it."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"At the end. I had to stop myself from signing the card. I almost couldn't fix everything."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Was it bad?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She whispered. "It's one of my worst nightmares come true."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Did Hawk Moth win?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sort of, but what does it matter if he's dead?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Dead?!" Adrien pulled back a bit to look at Marinette’s eyes. They looked haunted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"He was dead, but the akuma was the only one alive."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm not sure how he survived. I-I was gone too. Everything was flooded. I-I saw myself frozen and then crumble into dust… Chat Blanc said that it was our love that destroyed the world."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Mar, you don't have to tell me anything else if you don't want to." He felt bad for making her relive whatever that nightmare was. "I'm right here. I know that you made me the hat and I'm happy that you made it for me. I love all your presents, but I love you more than anything."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So in the alternate future he somehow got akumatized after he started dating his Princess? With that now a shared secret between them, he was going to have to not get overly upset. If he got akumatized… Marinette wouldn't be able to believe in him or trust him again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't like it when you take hits for me or sacrifice yourself or get hit by an attack and then I have to fight you. But that akuma was the worst thing I had to face. Heroes' Day and Miracle Queen were close, but I had you there with me. Timebreaker was also horrible."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I know there's not much we can do other than to watch each other's backs, but your safety is more important and the priority over mine M'Lady. Without Ladybug, the akumas can't be purified and the damage can't be fixed. I know it's a lot on you. I'll try not to get hit, but I can't make any pawmises."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette sniffled and blushed as she heard Adrien call her one of Ladybug’s nicknames.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Are we good, Mari?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I think so? Sort of. I'm still not sure about us being together right now. I appreciate knowing that I don't have to hide anything from you anymore, but it's a lot to take in…"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien’s face fell. He had the same look he has as Chat when he gets in trouble. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette smiled sadly for a moment as she placed one of her hands in Adrien's hair. Whether it was the influence of having a Miraculous or second nature because of his alter ego, Adrien nuzzled his head against Marinette’s touch. "I can already picture your fake ears drooping down. I'm sorry, Adrien. I know that this isn't what you want to hear, but I don't want to rush things. I have stuff I need to come to terms with first. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I do appreciate having you around to support me. It makes things not as scary, but I have to make sure I'm ready. I think that Ladybug and Chat should stay friends for the time being. Whatever happened in that other timeline, I think Hawk Moth found out the superheroes were dating, so he targeted that Chat on purpose. I don't want to risk that. I'm not saying we can't have a future. I'm just saying that Ladybug and Chat can't."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She bit her lip as she waited for Adrien’s response. His cat like tendencies were showing at the moment and she didn't want to upset him more than he already was. So she ran her fingers through his hair and she heard it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The purr.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh Kitty…" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That didn't happen often, so for Adrien, it was a little embarrassing. At least he was content? Sure it sucked that he can't just sweep Ladybug off of her feet and kiss in public to declare their love for one another, but this was better than nothing. He just had to be patient.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll try not get carried away for the Ladyblog," he responded, taking her hand and kissing it. "If you don't want to rush into things and you're not in school, does this mean I can keep you all to myself?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"My heart never belonged to anyone else. Why do I feel like there's another meaning behind that question?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A sudden yell of "Tikki, I told you I won't eat that mush unless it's cheese!" interrupted them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Looks like the cat kwami's out of the Box?" said Adrien as he tilted his head to the side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Why does he have to look so cute? I could kiss him! </span>
  </em>
  <span>Marinette blushed as she realized what she thought. It wasn't anything bad, she just didn't expect  it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"My puns-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Kid, I want cheeeesssssseeeee!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Plagg, shut up! You're ruining the moment for them!" Tikki scolded Plagg, trying to drag him by the tail back to her hiding spot.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Why don't they just kiss so I can get my cheese?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"The only cheese you're going to get is the cheap, fake American stuff," Adrien threatened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You. Wouldn't. Dare." Plagg said as he flew up in front of his charge's face and poked him in his nose.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien smirked and started scratching his kwami's head. A small purr could be heard. "Why don't you go with Tikki? I'm sure she can find something for you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Fine, but if I get the fake American stuff, your house is-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Plagg! Ladybug is not going to want to fix your Cataclysms that result from tantrums. No, I don't care about the dinosaurs or what you did to Atlantis. We can get cheesy bread if you're quiet."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Cheesy bread?! Where?" Plagg exclaimed as he tackled Tikki.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The ladybug kwami led her counterpart away from the humans in pursuit of a baked good.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sorry about that. Plagg's never really acted like that before. Not sure what came over him," apologized Adrien.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette laughed. "He obviously cares about you, but I guess he has a funny way of showing it since he's the complete opposite of Tikki."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I know this is changing subjects abruptly, but about what you said before… If Ladybug and Chat Noir can't be together, then you'll give us a chance?" Adrien’s eyes were filled with hope, but also fear. What if he heard wrong?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Like I said, I want to take things slow."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So that's a maybe?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, it's a may- Oh!" Marinette squealed as Adrien hugged and started nuzzling his cheek against her head like the cat he was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you Marinette."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"With that out of the way, you should probably see how much time we have left before you have to leave for lunch."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Fine," the blond pouted as he kissed her head.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Adrien hated these lunches. Sure he got out of lessons, but it's not like his father was spending time with him. It was more of an "observe and learn how to make a profit off of the weak," lesson. It was sickening to say the least. Summer vacation was coming and he'd much rather spend it with Marinette and taking her out. Unfortunately, he was going to have to commit part of his week to doing something 'productive' per his father's demand. So, Adrien went back to fencing lessons. At least he'd see Kagami. His Chinese lessons were no longer a thing, but he'd been hoping to be able to talk to Ms. Cheng about learning from her in a less formal setting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the days after Retribution, the public sympathized with Adrien and those at </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gabriel</span>
  </em>
  <span> affected by Lila. As the stories came out, more people started demanding answers. There was so much pressure that the Italian embassy in Paris had to publicly announce that Mrs. Rossi was no longer working for them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien felt bad about Lila's mom losing her job. As for Lila? He didn't get called to court to testify, but he had to give a statement to the police. That ended up being used in evidence alongside other info. He didn't keep up with the coverage, but his classmates did and he heard it from them- They settled out of court. With an entire school of witnesses to her lying, plus the video of Ladybug, Chat Noir and others calling out her lies, there was no way getting out of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gabriel himself took it as an opportunity to promote his business and how they would "lead a change in the treatment of models and fashion employees in the industry." His son, as usual, became the new face of the campaign. Adrien felt weird about it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>One unexpected result was the decrease in the number of times he was mobbed on the streets by fangirls and fanboys. Wayhem had initiated the "Respect Adrien, Save People" campaign, or RASP for short. It was a simple goal, fan over Adrien, but without making him uncomfortable, lest the wrath of Gabriel Agreste come suing people. It was unusual and a bit scary, but it worked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been a weird beginning to the end to the school year. Marinette hadn't fully returned yet to Collège Françoise Dupont during the first month since the events occurred. There were 2 months left of school and she did visit often at the suggestion of her therapist and parents, but it was mostly so she could see Adrien. Not that she had made it obvious she was still in love with him. For normalcy sake, she sat in her old seat. Everyone was willing to change the seating arrangement on her visit days, but for Marinette, it was a reminder of Lila. She knew that she could probably get a different seat, but she wasn’t about to do what Lila did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Besides, all Marinette had was that her brain worked differently. Sure she still had moments where she tensed up or was a complete stuttering mess, but she managed to speak with her former classmates whenever she saw them in public or at the bakery. Her stress and fears made things worse, but it didn't change who she was inside. It just changed her approach to things...</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The last day of school and the last day of collège was nearing for the students. As usual, Chloé was doing her own thing with Sabrina. Adrien had been dragged to the back by Alya. He was surrounded by 10 faces, whom he suspected, were waiting to hear their Marinette update of the week. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We have a month left and we need you to convince Marinette to come on the last day." said Alya.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien wasn’t expecting that. "Why?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We want to make her a party!" said Rose in excitement as she stared off into space.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not sure if she'd be up for it. Parts of her old self are showing up, but Marinette still has moments when she shuts people out," replied Adrien.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not going to be anything crazy. Kind of like the Heroes Day picnic from last year. Even if she hasn't forgiven us, we still want to thank her for the friendship and support she gave us," commented Nathaniel. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can try-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A cry of "Thanks!" echoed around the model.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"-but I make no promises."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's all we ask for."</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>"Tikki…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, Plagg?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why did we have to have the two slowest humans ever?," complained the black cat kwami as he swam in a mini bread bowl of cheese that Marinette baked for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If by slow, you mean slow to realize their feelings for each other, then yes, I can understand your exhaustion. Marinette complains that she's not ready to be with Adrien when it's obvious she is!" the ladybug kwami added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My Kid is fussing over the fact that he can't kiss her. Blah! We don't get paid enough in food for the things we have to do and put up with! Being the source of superpowers, being pets, being toys, being therapists, being parents. It's like they want us to tell them what to do!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tikki tried to interrupt him. "Plagg-" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I love my Kid and his Princess, but they need to go out already! If they're going to be all mushy and lovey-dovey with their cheesiness, they may as well give me extra cheese for it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Stinky Sock!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, Sugarcube?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maybe we can help?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Plagg swam across his cheese bowl towards where Tikki was. "You want to mess with them?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No. I said I want to help," Tikki reiterated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And what do you suggest we do?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We can talk to them and figure out what they want. Then we decide who we'll help plan it out."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Boring, but considering how the two goofballs are lovesick puppies, it may work…"</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Adrien spent the afternoon classes thinking about the party/celebration/picnic for Marinette. It'd be a good excuse to ask her out, but there were a few things he wasn't sure about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>First there'd be '<em>what if Marinette says no</em>' to a date. He'd be pushing her just like he tried to push Ladybug (sure they were the same person, but he didn't know back then). If he did, she'd probably start rejecting him for a bit and ask that he give her space. That would hurt. He'd gotten so used to hanging out with the love of his life <strike>(don't tell her he said that)</strike>, that it'd be cruel to his heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then there was the '<em>what if she says yes, but says no to going to the event</em>.' Mari could think he asked her out only to take her to picnic. Then she'd be mad that he lied and that he didn't respect her. He didn't want to be disappointed in himself and risk akumatization.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time he got home, it was futile. No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't see a way she would </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span> agree going to that thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why does she have to be so confusing?!" He cried into his pillow. Plagg, having heard his human try and figure it out, cackled. "It's pretty simple Kid."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No it's not." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Just tell Pigtails the truth while Sugarcube is around and she'll cave. Maybe even mention it to her parents. They're the ones that made her go visit you at school anyways, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I guess? I just don't want her mad at me Plagg."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Eh. Tikki gets mad at me all the time and we're fine after 5000 years of this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But this is Marinette! I want to get things right."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Just try it my way, Kid. Trust me." Plagg had landed on Adrien phone, his paws tapping at something...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien sat up and glared at the nuisance that was his faux pet. "New York."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay… Didn't she want you to be honest anyway?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Go eat your camembert."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A voice came out from his phone. "You want to do what right, Adrien? And is Plagg causing trouble again?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien yelled as he fell of his bed. "Ma-Mari? What- How-?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Plagg cackled loudly as he dodged a pillow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is there something you want to ask me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sort of. Yes?" he said hesitantly as he grabbed his phone and started the video chat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His hand went to the back of his head out of habit. "Um, do you want to come spend the last day of school with me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His voice wavered. "Well… It's your last day of collège before we go to lycée and I figured you might want to say goodbye to some of the other kids and the teachers."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What else?" In true LB style, she gave him both the raised eyebrow and the questionable look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was it that obvious on his face?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Just purromise to hear me out before you say no."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you're going to ask me out Adrien, I already told you-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not that! Fur real."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I do want you to come spend the last day of school with me, but the class is having a picnic lunch. They were hoping you'd stop for a bit. From what they said, it's not anything big. They just want to spend one last time together before we all go to lycée. All our schedules are going to be different and- and it won't be the same without you Marinette." So maybe he was lying a bit...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette hesitated as she bit her lip. "I don't know…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien reassured. "No one's going to force you to stay. If you feel uncomfortable I can walk you home or we'll go to André's or something." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And you managed to get permission to go to that?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not yet, but I'm going to ask. If I can finalize the idea about getting Chinese lessons from your mom about food, how to order, tea and proper etiquette, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>should</span>
  </em>
  <span> be able to work in some time for us to go out- I mean hang out during summer."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Didn't you quit Chinese so you would have more free time? We're about to go on break. You really think your dad is going to give you free time?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien looked at her sheepishly. "I was thinking that in between fencing and being stuck at the company, I could use the Chinese lessons as an excuse to hang out with you? I'd talk with your mom first, but the way I see it, I spend part of my time practicing with her at the bakery and then we can just hang out or go out and about across the rooftops."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And if your dad finds out you spend part of the time not learning?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can teach me how to bake."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette knew Chat Noir was likely to do crazy things for Ladybug, but he'd never seen that side coming from Adrien. Sure, a part of her was counting down when Adrien would do something crazy for her, but this?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Baking's not going to teach you how to run a fashion empire."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll pitch my father an idea for a new baking and cooking inspired line."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Adrien…" He was never like this before with her. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You weren't unofficially-together-yet-"not"-dating before</span>
  </em>
  <span>. "He will never agree to it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you show up with preliminary designs and show that people would be interested…" He looked at her with the kitty eyes full of hope.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Not the eyes… Please not the eyes. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Marinette had an extremely difficult time not falling deep into Adrien’s green eyes. She also had a difficult time not falling for her Kitty's cat eyes. Combine them together?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She caved in before she was left drooling. "Fine."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I love you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette had heard Adrien say that before, but it still always made her blush a lot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If he was there in person, he'd probably kiss you," he heard Plagg say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Plagg!" yelled Adrien.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I just said what you were thinking Kid. You're welcome."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know this might be a lot to ask, but if my father were to agree, would you want to-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're lucky I used to have a big imagination growing up."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You already have designs?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette displayed some of her Ladybug confidence. "I'll need to redraw and tweak the ideas since they're from years ago, but it could be a start. Baking is in my blood. It requires </span>
  <em>
    <span>some</span>
  </em>
  <span> creativity so combining the two has never been too difficult."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just when Adrien thought he couldn't fall in love anymore, he was proven wrong time and time again. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I started writing this fic the night the NY special came out back in September. It was a few days into writing when the idea of Marinette having anxiety and panic attacks occurred as I wrote. It was one of those things that happened without really planning it, so I went with it. About 3 weeks into writing, I had a family matter come up and it resulted in me having to deal with my own Generalized Anxiety Disorder and depression. In a way, while writing Marinette’s journey, it helped me as an outlet. The circumstances for both my life and the story are way different, but some of the thought processes in which Mari thinks are similar to what I've experienced and what I've read from others' experiences. I've started getting better again, but mentally and emotionally, I'm still at a very vulnerable place. Writing is one of my hobbies and outlets. This story came about during a stressful time and allowed me to reconnect with a part of myself.</p>
<p>I moderate reviews on my stories because I don't want this place to become toxic like Lila and Hawk Moth. I was bullied as a kid, and have been judged in my adult years so I've seen my share of hate. We definitely do NOT need any more akumas in the world.</p>
<p>Whether you've been around since I first began posting this story, or have been following it afterwards, thank you to those of you who've been supportive of it. Reading your comments has made the end of 2020 a little brighter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Adrien headed to school extra early the following morning. Knowing that once he was at the steps he wouldn't be followed, the model walked the street to head over to the Dupain-Cheng bakery. The morning rush fascinated him. While Tom and Sabine handled the orders, Marinette was in charge of the cash register. It made sense, she did have a tendency to be a bit clumsy. The register did keep her away from tripping.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn't want to draw attention to himself, but-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom called him out. "Adrien, son, come on over." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Embarrassed, Adrien walked behind the counter and into the kitchen. "Good morning Mr. Dupain. How are you?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Good morning. I'm doing well. We haven't had you around in a while. How are you doing? Is there something Sabine and I can help you with?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien answered. "I'm good Mr. Dupain. I was wondering if I could talk to Ms. Cheng for a moment? There's something I need to ask her."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Give me a sec and she'll be right back." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took a minute, but Sabine came into the kitchen while Tom returned to the front.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hello, dear. Tom said you wanted to ask me something?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes ma'am. I was wondering if you would be able to help me continue practicing my Chinese? It wouldn’t be formal lessons. I was thinking more on the conversational side of things and how to interact with people. My father isn't requiring me to continue the lessons, but with him making me spend time at his company, I miss coming here," he admitted. "I already talked to Marinette and I have an idea."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't mind helping you practice. You're always free to come over."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you Ms. Cheng. Knowing my father, I need to convince him so I need to approach this like a business plan. I was thinking of pitching to him the idea of a line inspired by baking and cooking. Marinette’s already agreed to help design it. While helping her with that, I would be able to practice my Chinese."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It sounds like you have a good start to your idea."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you. I don’t really like the business side of things, but with me starting lycée in September, my father will require that I take Economics as one of my electives."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"If you need me to speak with your father or his assistant, let me know."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I will. Thank you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sabine left Adrien. Just as he was about to exit, Marinette appeared.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hi. How are you? How did it go with my mom?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey Mari," he greeted her with a Cheshire cat smile on his face as he got close to hers. "I'm doing much better now that you're here. Your mom said yes. All I need is to speak with my father."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She pushed his face back with her finger. "Is there anything I can do to help?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You’ve already done enough. Trust me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I should let you go so you won't be late."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What if I don’t want to go?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Then you'll be in trouble and won't even get a chance to share your idea."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I guess you're right."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Grabbing oven mitts, Marinette headed over to the oven to pull out a tray of macarons and mini cheesy bread balls. "Plagg came over last night to let Tikki know you were coming so I figured you might need a new supply of sweets."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Plagg only did it because of the baked cheese goods."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You get your macarons so you shouldn't complain," she said as she began packing the baked goods into two different bags.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"But I wanted it to be a surprise," pouted Adrien. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It seemed that the more time Adrien spent with Marinette, the more comfortable he got with showing how he felt. While Chat was easier to read, Marinette knew Adrien hid behind an invisible mask.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"If I walk to school with you, will that make things better?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You would?!" Adrien asked excitedly. He really reminded her of a puppy more than a cat sometimes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That's great!" Taking the sweets from her, he put them in his backpack and took Marinette’s hand, walking them both through the front of the bakery.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll be back in a bit!" the bakers' daughter yelled much to their amusement as she passed by.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Checking his phone, Adrien noticed that he still had a good half hour before the bell. Instead of crossing the street to school, he led Marinette around the corner and into the park.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Adrien, what are we doing here?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"There's still some time before class starts. I figured we can enjoy a walk and catch up since lunches had to be cancelled."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Adrien…" Marinette wasn't sure what to say. She enjoyed holding his hand and walking alongside him. It's not like they haven't had close encounters before. She stopped anything from happening because she felt it wasn't the right time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>But would it ever be the right time?</span>
  </em>
  <span> She kept asking herself time and time again whenever her feelings for Adrien would come back. Being Ladybug and being a Guardian was a lot of responsibility. She would need to train Adrien in case something happened and she was forced to give up the Miracle box to him. She knew he'd hate that, but it was a possibility. She hadn't forgotten about how he hated seeing her hurt. She didn't want to worry him, but with their futures coming up, could they really make it through their last 3 years of school before they went off to a university?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even then, she'd need to stay in Paris. As long as Hawk Moth was a threat, she'd never be able to truly leave her home. Adrien wouldn’t be forced to be Chat Noir. As heir and head of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gabriel </span>
  </em>
  <span>brand, he'd have to travel. She couldn't bring herself to tie him down even though they were only 15. What kind of girlfriend would she be?!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"...nette?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was someone calling her?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Marinette?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The designer looked around for a moment before realizing it was Adrien.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When did they sit down at the fountain?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hm?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What's bugging you now, Bugaboo?" Adrien asked with concern. "You spaced out for a minute."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's nothing important," she replied, shaking her head. "I- My mind's overthinking again."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He cupped her face, his thumbs rubbing the worried look off of her eyebrows. "Anything I can do to help?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She really couldn't say anything without babbling like a mess, so she gave a small shake 'no.' It was the small signs of affection that kept the butterflies in her stomach going every so often. Their relationship as civilians was reaching the levels of comfort that Ladybug and Chat had.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"If you want to say anything, I'm always willing to lend an ear or two, or four," he teased, creating two ears atop his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette laughed as she took his hands and held them. "You're starting to make it difficult to tell you and Kitty apart, you know."'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's not my fault my Princess and Buginette light up my world like nobody else," he sang.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Please don't start the song…" Marinette groaned. She knew the song. It played a lot when she was in primary school.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"But you don't kno-o-ow, that's what makes you beautiful."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wasn't sure whether to laugh or hug him. He was such a dork. "Adrien…" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, Marinette?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Thanks." She leaned in to hug him, but in an instant she was airborne and then sitting again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Why did he move her to sit on his lap?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if reading her mind, Adrien nuzzled her hair as he responded. "It's easier to cuddle and hug this way."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If her friends had seen her now-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She froze at the thought. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Did she just? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yup. She just said 'friends'.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So maybe a part of her missed them now?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She's not going to cry. She's not going to cry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She tried blinking away the tears, but it didn't stop them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Mari, what’s wrong?" asked Adrien quietly. Was she having an anxiety attack? Would he need to get her home?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm- I'm good. I-I just realized something and it took me by surprise is all." She rested her forehead on his shirt for a moment to steady herself. Adrien rubbed circles on her back as she looked up at him. "I-I miss them."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Who?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Ev-Everyone."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"In class?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Uh huh."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm not as experienced with friendships, but I think it's normal that you miss them. I know you all didn't really have a huge fight, but what happened was like a fight. It's kind of like when Ladybug and Chat have fought. It's taken big moments for them to realize they miss each other and to a-paw-logize, but it works out."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I guess so. I wasn't even thinking about them, but then I realized how I was sitting on your lap and thought about how if everyone was here, there'd be pictures and-and…," she trailed off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"And then the teasing about our wedding?" finished Adrien as he blushed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah…"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I, um, know what you mean. The girls don't say much, but I've heard them talking about how you already planned things out?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette hid her face with her hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I think it's cute."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette was shaking her head in disagreement. "Trust me, it's not."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It can't be worse than what I planned for our first date."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She looked at him in half shock and half internally squealing. First date? Did he-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien realized what he said and his cheeks turned pink. "First date between Ladybug and Chat! I don't want to plan a first date for us until you're ready."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had gotten caught up a bit in his thoughts and Marinette’s adorableness when he realized what happened. He didn't mind it much, but he didn't want to scare her off before they were official.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That's fine. Um, as long as it's something a bit on the quieter side. If we do- were to do anything in public, we'd only draw attention," Marinette said quickly as Adrien took hold of her hands again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I know I've told you before, but don't feel like you have to hurry to say yes to me, Marinette."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I know, butI'mlettingyouknownow." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll make a note of it."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Adrien?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette wasn’t thinking much. She was following her instincts for the most part. It was still weird trying to fight her overworked brain, but Adrien tended to break her racing thoughts. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She tilted her head a bit to one side and leaned in. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to actually kiss him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien saw his Princess’ movement and leaned in to close the gap between their faces.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Marinette’s breath got caught in her throat. She felt like she was back on the hotel rooftop in New York. Her eyes closed. Part of her felt scared.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their noses were brushing so she definitely could feel his breath. At least it didn't stink of camembert. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Mari, are you sure?" Adrien whispered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien wanted nothing more than to kiss his Lady, but she kept giving him mixed signals about whether or not she was ready. He was scared he'd push her out of her comfort zone. This was the closest they had been since New York. He wanted things to be done right.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette remained still as </span>
  <span>she was debating herself. Fighting temptation to kiss her on the lips, Adrien kissed her on the nose, both her cheeks and her forehead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sorry Kitty Cat." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't apologize Marinette. I don't want you to feel like you have to be ready. I'll keep reminding you. It's not fair to you if I push you. I learned my lesson the first time around since that didn't work. It's not exactly the same since this time I'm not asking you out all the time, but you get the idea." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette was hating herself. Everytime she gathered the courage to finally get closer to Adrien, it's ended up in a failure due to self-doubt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I need to stop hesitating. I know what I want and what I want to do and what my target is, and yet I can't reach it."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien tucked Marinette’s head under his chin as he hugged her. "You sound like Kagami."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"She's the one that told me that early on when I was still nervous around you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I feel like you're comparing yourself to her and putting a lot of pressure on yourself."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm not. I'm just being realistic. If I can't gather the courage to even kiss you…" she trailed off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She couldn't see it, but Adrien was red. So she wanted to kiss him? Is that what this is all about? "Who said you had kissed me right now?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Adrien, I'm basically doing to you what I did to Luka."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Which was what?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Stringing you along. You know part of me isn't ready for a relationship even though I like you. Yet here you are, waiting patiently until I'm ready even though I know it hurts you. Don't try and lie to me. You know I'll read it off your face."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn't sure how to respond. If he lied, she'd get mad, but if he told her the truth, she could get sad and mad at herself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Mari, I'm not- Sure, I'd like to be able to take you out and call you my girlfriend, but your friendship means just as much to me. It's not worth arguing over this. I just don't want to see you put yourself down or comparing yourself to other girls, including Kagami."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's something I've been trying to work on, but it's hard not to. I know what I'm capable of doing, and that I can do more, but I can't help but overthink and over worry. There's a part of my brain that won't ever shut up and it's annoying. The therapist says that it's the anxiety, which I'm not questioning, but it's really hard for me to slow down my thoughts enough to where I'm not worrying so much. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Before, I'd only get nervous when I was scared of something going wrong. Now, I get nervous about the stupidest stuff like kissing you or swinging across rooftops. Stuff that shouldn't be a big deal becomes a big deal. I know this might not make a lot of sense, but it's the best way that I can describe my brain. Ever since we became superheroes, the stress from everythin</span>
  <span>g</span>
  <span> that's happened is what led to my… freak out. I don't need anyone to tell me that I should've given something up, because I probably wouldn't have.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"If Lila hadn't been around, maybe I wouldn't be this anxious. Sure I'd be stressed out, but at least Chloé has never put my life in danger to the extent Lila has. Maybe I wouldn't have lost my friends. We'd probably be getting ready for the end-of-year party together and they'd be helping me figure out what we would need…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Part of me misses them, but part of me wants to hate them. But I can't. I can't hate them. There's too many memories and I can't forget about them. Not when we all live in the same neighborhoods and our families run into each other all the time. I guess I want to go with you to the picnic to prove to myself that I don't need them, but knowing me, I do need them. I want to be able to call them my friends again, but I just don't know if I'll ever be able to trust them again. I guess part of me wishes they </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> noticed sooner what was going on. None of them ever noticed why I started flaking and backing out of events and why I didn't hang out. It says a lot when Chloé’s the one that notices but even she backs off from giving you a hard time. I know I'm just babbling-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien reassured her. "You're not. Like you said, it may not make a lot of sense to people, but I think I can understand parts of what make you worry. It's things that you couldn't exactly control and you're wondering how things would have been different if some of the stuff that happened hadn't happened. You don't want to worry so much, but it still happens."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah. Sorry for rambling so much."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No worries. I'm not sure if I can do anything to help, but my ears and I are always here to listen. As much I want to stay and continue staying here with my beautiful Princess," Adrien said, looking at his phone, "This knight in leather has to go to school."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette hopped off his lap and straightened herself out as she took his hand. She didn't feel worse, but it's not like she could be 'cured’ of her anxiety by rambling about it all day. Sighing, she took Adrien’s hand and began the walk to Collège Francoise Dupont.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe her mind was trying to tell her something? If all of a sudden she started missing the people she was trying to forgive, could she be ready?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But what if they hurt her again?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She couldn’t let one incident be the reason she never trusts anyone, but Adrien, again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But it wasn’t just one incident. It was multiple over the course of 2 years. Time and time again she gave everyone the benefit of the doubt and they didn’t even </span>
  <em>
    <span>try</span>
  </em>
  <span> to listen. If she hadn’t taken Adrien’s advice-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No one made her listen to Adrien when he told her to take the high road. She could have tried calling out Lila by herself, but where would that have put her?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Alya and Nino didn’t believe her. Maybe Adrien wouldn’t have had her back like Chat did Ladybug’s.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She would've ended up alone in some way. Adrien only saw her as a friend and back then he didn’t know much about how public education worked. She would’ve had to be quiet and let Lila rule the school. It still probably meant that Lila would’ve tried to hurt her in some way. Even if Adrien pushed the liar’s advances away, she herself would’ve had to compete against Kagami. It wouldn’t have been the same, but Kagami would’ve probably still taken Adrien.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s possible she would still be trying to get over Adrien, and in the off chance she finally gave her Kitty a chance, he would’ve been taken. She wouldn’t know he was her crush and that the girl was her friend and rival. Luka probably would still be there waiting for her, but she would eventually not bother pursuing a relationship with him either. She would be too heartbroken over Adrien and Chat Noir. Luka would’ve been the rebound who didn’t complain. He’d hope that she would grow to love him one day.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She would’ve been where she was when she came back from New York. Confused, lonely and without the support from the people she cared about outside of her family. She wouldn’t be able to just ask her parents to send her away from Paris. Tikki, Chat and all of Paris would need her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No matter which way she looked at it, it ended up the same way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She couldn’t leave Paris, her home. She was destined to be the one to defend it and save it. She didn’t need Bunnyx to tell her that.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>It was a brief walk, but Adrien sensed something had started bothering Marinette. She had zoned out and the only thing keeping her moving and not tripping on anything was him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wanted to help her but he wasn’t sure if he could do anything. He didn’t know what she was thinking. He’d gotten better at figuring out what she said when she stumbled on her words or stuttered. As Chat, he learned to read her face. Chat also knew Ladybug. It had only been a month, but he was still trying to connect Marinette and Ladybug. Sometimes he saw Ladybug shine through when it was just the two of them, but moments like now, it was as if Marinette was a shell of her former self. She wasn’t going to be ever the same. That much he knew. It was just a matter of helping her regain her confidence and being able to keep it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t have time to take her home, but he wasn’t sure if she’d want to sit in class. She was too caught up in her own world to notice anyone around her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Plagg? Plagg!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh? What, Kid? I’m trying to sleep.” The kwami of Destruction popped out of Adrien’s backpack. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Think you can purr near Marinette? I think she’s lost in too much thought and if she doesn’t refocus, it’ll be bad.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine. Anything for Pigtails. At least she appreciates my tastes,” countered the cat as he flew over to Marinette. Gently hugging her cheek, he nuzzled it and purred softly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien stopped at the edge of the park to see if this would work. Not a lot of things seemed to ground Marinette and her parents were still trying to understand it all. Between running their bakery and keeping an eye on their daughter, they were busy and couldn’t devote as much time to her as they wanted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t part of the family, but Marinette was his partner and best friend both in and out of the suit. He couldn’t imagine his life without his Princess anymore and it hurt to see her like this.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette’s brain had zoned out and although she wasn’t thinking as much, she sure felt sleepy. Releasing a small yawn, she rubbed her eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ready for a cat nap?”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hm?”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s awake. That’ll be an extra cookie for Sugarcube, Adrien.” She heard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was that Plagg?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess purring works.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adrien, what are you talking about?”</span>
  <span></span>
    <br/>
  
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“You sort of drifted off into your thoughts again,” he answered. “We’re almost at school, but I don’t have time to walk you back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll come with you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you sure?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She nodded her head. “Yeah, I think that if I’m going to get through the picnic, I should see everyone more. I’ll head home at lunchtime.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Okay.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien led her across the street as she tried to remember to breathe. It wasn’t the first time she had been back in class, but it was the first time that she had chosen to go for a reason other than to spend time with Adrien.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She felt the tiny hug from Tikki through her purse.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was Ladybug. She could do this. Akumas were scarier than this.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lila was gone. Chloe didn’t bug her whenever she came to class, and her classmates wanted to be friends again.   She could do this.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy New Year's (Eve)! I made several references in this chapter to stuff. Can you figure it out?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Nino and Alya waited at the steps of the school, they didn’t expect Adrien to be coming from the direction of the park.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Al, is that-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Marinette with Adrien? Yes. I wonder why they’re coming from the park?” wondered Alya. Sure, Marinette would say hello and goodbye to her when she stopped by the bakery, but the designer and the reporter hadn’t had a full conversation since the last class trip to the bakery. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Nino! Hi Alya!” said Adrien as he and Marinette approached them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey dudes!” replied the DJ.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya raised her eyebrow with a silent </span>
  <em>
    <span>What’s going on?</span>
  </em>
  <span> to Adrien. “Hi.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien looked at them both with excitement in his eyes. “I have news to tell everyone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Could it be that the class ship was finally-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As if seeing where she was going, Adrien interrupted the reporter. “Alya, no. It’s not that. Mari just agreed to go to the picnic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can still dream can’t I?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette let a small giggle before she covered her mouth with the hand that wasn’t holding onto Adrien.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s get going before Ms. Bustier marks us late.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adrien, it’s Ms. Bustier, when she sees why the class is late, she won’t say anything,” muttered Alya.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t need my father finding out I went to school early to stop by the bakery.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t get why you’re still sneaking around. It’s not like it’s a hidden secret that you go there multiple times a week.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien tried to not get annoyed at Alya. She had good intentions, but sometimes her reasoning didn’t click and made it difficult for her to understand others. “I may have more free time, but if I want to get some say in my education in lycée, I can’t risk it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My dude’s right Al. You know there’s some unspoken rules amongst everyone in class. Adrien’s bakery trips being one of them. Just like- uh, the old one,” Nino said quickly before he finished the actual sentence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What old one? Just how many unspoken rules have I missed?” asked Adrien.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uh, only one. But it doesn’t matter anymore. It’s old news and it isn’t relevant anymore. Don’t worry about it my dude.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette freezing in the middle of the courtyard as they walked caught Adrien’s attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mari?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They had been wanting me to tell you how I felt so none of them ever told you why I was always nervous or stuttering around you,” said the designer quietly. “The rule was to never tell you about my crush on you until I confessed to you myself. It wasn’t anything crazy. It just sort of became a thing with everyone since they were trying to help me however they could. Chloé didn’t like it, but there was a… mutual understanding. She knew I liked you. A lot. But even with her being mean, there are lines she won’t cross. She may have messed up as a superhero, but Chloe’s always been honest about what’s on her mind. It made things a little easier for me until, well, you know…” she trailed off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” was all Adrien could say. He hadn’t realized how oblivious he was to social cues amongst his classmates and peers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s nothing to be ashamed about Sunshine,” said Alya. “If anything, it falls more on your dad than anything else. If he gave you more free time to have fun…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alya, I already got akumatized over that. No point beating around a dead bush," Nino said, pulling his girlfriend away to give Marinette and Adrien privacy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine, but we need to make sure he moves out when he turns 18 at the start of Terminale if we want to make sure he survives..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll see you guys in a bit." Adrien turned to face Marinette. "How are you holding up?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not panicking so I'm good I guess," Marinette said as she looked around. "It's still weird coming. It shouldn’t, but with everything that's happened, it just doesn't feel as welcoming."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I need to stop by my locker to drop off stuff. Do you want to head to Ms. Bustier's class?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sure." Marinette regretted it as soon as she opened her mouth. She hadn't even thought about it. She just needed to go up the stairs and through the first door on the right. No biggie, right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll be there in a bit." Giving her hands a squeeze of encouragement, Adrien left her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking a deep breath in, she held onto the rail once she reached the steps. Better be safe than sorry. Known for her clumsiness, being nervous only made it worse.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Just take it one step at a time… and mentally prepare for the possibly loud cheering.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>As Marinette made her way upstairs, Adrien put away some of his homework but found himself bombarded in the locker room as he tried to put away his textbooks since he wouldn't need them until the afternoon. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Adrien is it true?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is she here?!" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alya just sent a message."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Did it finally happen?!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wasn't sure who had said what amidst the squealing, but he guessed there was only one person who would fire up everyone like this. Turning around to face them, Adrien put on his more serious face. "I'm not sure what Alya said, but Marinette’s just a friend-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If looks could kill, he'd have lost all 9 of his lives. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I guess they won't let me live that down.</span>
  </em>
  <span> "It's not me, I promise!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then how can you just say she's just a friend?" exclaimed Rose. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Please don't give her a hard time, but Mari's the one that isn't ready. I wish I could explain everything, but I can't." </span>
  <em>
    <span>My Lady would kill me. </span>
  </em>
  <span>"I'll wait however long I have to."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alix looked at Juleka for a moment. "Didn't this happen with your brother?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Juleka nodded. "Yes, but from what he said, he was the one that made the decision to end it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"As soon as we got back from the trip, I talked with him," confessed Adrien. "Part of Marinette’s worries back then was how Luka was going to react. I told him the truth about how I felt about Mari and he accepted it. No one forced Luka to make any decisions. Before you get mad at me, you need to understand that Marinette's been dealing with a lot of… negative emotions. Some of that is fear and she wants to be comfortable with herself again. It's her way of protecting herself."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So she needs to get her confidence back?" asked Mylène.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not exactly that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then what is it?" asked Alix. "She’s always been confident except when it came to being around you. She became a mushy little puddle in those moments."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Put yourself in her shoes and take me out of the equation," explained the blond. "Your childhood friends and classmates start believing everything a new stranger has told them. You try telling them the truth, that the stranger is lying, but they just say you’re jealous. Every attempt is the same. The stranger says to follow her like a  puppy or else she will hurt you. What options does that leave you with? Not many. You're stuck complying out of fear and tired from being ignored. The stranger finds any way to bully you so you're scared to fight back. Imagine that happening for months."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kim, who along Ivan hadn't said anything, broke the silence. "It's a miracle that Marinette never got akumatized."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You think?" countered Alix. "The girl managed to hide everything from us for 2 years. What'd you expect, that she was going to stay calm?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Will you two shut it?!" someone yelled as the door to the locker room opened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What Chloé?" glared Mylène.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can hear you from outside. If Dupain-Cheng is here, it doesn't matter to me, but at least stop causing a spectacle. What if someone else hears?" the Mayor's daughter said as she flipped her hair. "Adrikins wants to protect her. At least make it easier. The last thing you all need is more rumors flying around. All this drama is going to cause premature wrinkles and I can't have that. It's ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as she came in, she went out the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Since when has she become the voice of logic?" asked Kim. "I thought that was Max's job."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," agreed Ivan.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Marinette wasn't sure where to sit. Fortunately most of the class hadn't arrived yet, but she did glance over to Nathaniel, Max and Sabrina. None of them said anything as they waved hello to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had been standing at the door for a good minute before Alya took control. "If you want to sit with Adrien, I can switch seats with him so you can stay in yours."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh! Um, if you're fine with it," replied the designer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not sure what's holding him up, but I'm sure Adrien will be here soon."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah." Marinette took her old seat and texted her parents that she would return for lunch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She'd be fine. It was just 3 hours of class. She's stayed through them before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But that was before both sides wanted to try and make proper amends. When she focused only on Adrien. Now? Anyone could pretty much go up to her and talk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So maybe she was underestimating herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette?" A kind voice cut through her thoughts. It was Ms. Bustier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Would you like to talk for a moment out in the hallway?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette looked around her. Everyone was arriving and Adrien was sitting to her left. Nothing to be afraid of, right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, ma'am."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette followed her homeroom teacher as she closed the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm glad you’re able to join us today. How are you doing?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not perfect, but some days are better."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's great to hear."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Adrien told me about the picnic planned for the end of the school year," Marinette blurted out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Everyone was telling me about it. Have you made a decision about it? I can imagine that it's not an easy thing to decide on."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It- It's not that it was hard. It was more… like it was weird. I'm not sure how to explain it, but I sort of just started thinking about something and then… A part of me misses them," explained the girl as she bit her lower lip. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your parents let me know about the last visit your classmates made."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We're talking... sort of? I'm still not sure about how much I want to let them in, but I want to try and give them a chance."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think that's a good starting point. Is there anything I can do to help you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not sure how to talk to them anymore, if that makes sense. I want to tell them that I'm going to the picnic, but if I do, they're all going to be happy and the girls are probably going to yell… It’s not a bad thing, but I don’t want it to be a big deal."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think I have an idea."</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Class proceeded as normal and the lecture had ended early, so chatter was underway when Ms. Bustier asked for silence again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alright everyone. Since we have some time left, I thought you could take a moment to sign up for whatever you will bring to the picnic. On a piece of paper, write down what food or drink you will bring. I'll come around and pick them up. While I walk, take a moment to think about one thing that you're grateful for from your time in collège or one thing that you learned during your 4 years here. There is no right or wrong answer. Then go ahead and write those answers down </span>
  <em>
    <span>without</span>
  </em>
  <span> your names on them. I'll put them in a hat and read them throughout the rest of the month."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the students followed their teacher's instructions, Marinette tried to think about what she had learned. She had learned a lot of things in her classes, but what had she learned outside of academics?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pain, sacrifice, loss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Teamwork, courage, bravery, strength.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Love.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was no way she could write any of this without explaining the superheroing side gig she had. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>How could she sit there, knowing that the people that cared about her only wanted to help when she was being hypocritical of giving them a second chance? If Chloé knew she was Ladybug, the blonde girl would've called out Marinette on her hypocrisy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What would Ladybug say?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> Ladybug. No one but herself knew what she wanted.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Growing up, some things haven't been easy for me to learn, but I like to think that I'm learning from my mistakes. When it comes to the last four years, I've learned the importance of relationships. Friends, family and other kinds, including the romantic kinds as well.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>They each come with their good and bad things. They aren't perfect, but the interactions we have with the people in our relationships do have some kind impact in our lives.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Our families are our first teachers and they teach us how to navigate the world as we grow. Parents and siblings are the ones that see us at our best and worst times, no matter who else in our lives come and go.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>As we get older, we'll have work relationships and the like. Some will last years, others not. We learn to navigate them as they come.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Friends are the ones we meet and make throughout our entire lives. It can be someone, or several people, from our childhood or from when we get older. They're who we confide in when we don't want to talk to our family. They're the ones who are supposed to have your back. Sometimes things happen and these relationships break. Sometimes they're gone forever, but sometimes friendship isn't gone. It can still be mended. With patience and love, it can be one of the strongest bonds we have.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>When it comes to romance, those relationships bring their own challenges. Young love is fragile. Our first relationships aren't always going to work out the way we want them to. Fairytales capture our imaginations and don't tell the truth. Romance isn't always a happy ending. Sometimes it leads to confusion, anger, disappointment and disillusion. Heartbreak and mending. Sometimes the mistake we make can lead to happy beginnings, but it's not easy getting there. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Even when you think you'll finally get a chance at happiness, life can still get in your way. It can lead to an indescribable pain in your heart. It can lead you to sacrifice the thing you yearn for the most if it means that the person you care about doesn't suffer the loss you have. It hurts and it will take time to accept what's happened. You may or may not get over it. You can try and move on and forget about it, but that one love will always stay with you no matter what happens. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You ask yourself if what you're doing is right. Your head and your heart want what's best for you. You ask yourself if you should let your heart keep listening to itself. You ask yourself which way you should go. It feels like you don't know what your heart is telling you as you dream. It drives you insane since you never thought you'd feel so much. It's tearing at your heart because it feels like you will never be able to make a decision. You don't know how to read the signs in front of you. You get your hopes up, but you've watched them fall many times. It's hard to watch everything slowly fade away into nothing.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Losing them was the blue of the sky that came with the irony when you first tried to let them go. Missing them in the time after was a blur- dark, gray, alone and incomplete even if someone else was there trying to fill the hole. Forgetting them and regretting letting them go was sudden and you tried to deny it. Icy white and blue was the nightmare when you realized what it meant if you didn't control your own fears and doubts, allowing your secrets to be revealed before you were ready. Green was what you felt when you saw them try to move on, but it was also why you fell. Why you fell hard and couldn't go back to wanting to be just friends. You get lost time and time again in that bright emerald hue. Black was the hole in your heart in which fear and despair lived in for so long. In which you hid anything negative because of how much you worried and how much you want to protect them. Red is loving them. It's your anger at their sacrifices to shield you and attempts to protect you. But it's also the roses they give you. It's what they see you in and it's the warmth and the passion of the love in their heart.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You met them by accidentally crashing into them while falling and later having a big misunderstanding. It rained when you fell for them. It rained when everything went wrong. It rained when they were here and it rained when they were gone. It rained when when you realized how you felt about them not once, but twice. You tried to move on, but no one else could heal your heart. Remembering them came in flashbacks and echoes, when you lost your chance and tried to tell yourself it was time to let go. It was in the rain when you realized it was impossible to move on from them. You weren't ready to let them go. They were the only one you saw in your head. Although the rain stopped, they stayed. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You hope that when the magic's all run out, and things settle down, they'll still be waiting for you.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Adrien had a difficult time. He learned a lot about how people actually were and how the world truly was, but between friendship and love, he couldn't pick one.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I wasn't sure what to expect when I first arrived. A big misunderstanding had changed how others viewed me, but some people still gave me a chance. I learned what having friends is like. I'm grateful for the friends I've made. They're the reason I look forward to school everyday because they make it easier to keep moving forward. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I also learned about love. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I learned that there's different kinds of love. The platonic one in which your friends will support you and care for you even when things go wrong. Friends can come from unexpected places and that there's always something to learn about them. I learned about familial love and have seen what being a family is truly like. Family doesn't have to be the people you're related to. It can be the people you choose.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Most importantly, I learned that romantic love means something different to different people. For me, it means hope and trust. Hope that you will find your other half even when it feels like the world is doing everything to stop you from being together. Hope that the one you dream about will realize the truth. It means a black umbrella and a butterfly that started it all. It means trusting them with everything, knowing they have your back. It means never giving up on the person who has your heart. Even when you're both afraid of losing each other, or afraid of the world coming in between you, or you're still learning how to connect the many spots that make up your identity, you're determined to fight for each other. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Both of us may wear a mask behind the wall that separates us, but that will never change how I feel. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I will wait a lifetime for you if I have to because I love you madly. More than anything else in the world, I will love you endlessly. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It will always be you and me against the world.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>As Ms. Bustier came around a second time, both Marinette and Adrien put in only half of their paper into the hat.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you weren't able to catch the references, here's a clue: Music</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy New Year's Day! </p><p>Last chapter, as I mentioned, had several references to music. One guess got one right. If you go back to the part where Adrien and Marinette are writing their assignment, you'll notice:</p><p>For Adrien, I wrote in lines from 'Ce Mur Qui Nous Sépare' aka 'The Wall That Separates Us'</p><p>For Marinette: There were many lines- several Taylor Swift songs, one High School Musical song and one song from Disney's Descendants. Can you name all the songs?</p><p>This chapter has a subtle reference to one episode of the show</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Adrien hated his lunches, but it was the price he paid for the deal he made with his father.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was always "Pay attention to so and so. Look over this clause and how ya-da, ya-da."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To be honest, Adrien didn't </span>
  <em>
    <span>want</span>
  </em>
  <span> to take over the company, but if pleasing his father now meant that he could gain freedom once he was of age, then he'd endure another 2 years of lunches. Less activities meant he could be with Marinette. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mind had been going to her often and it was a miracle his father hadn't caught on yet. If Gabriel Agreste knew his son was interested in the daughter of bakers, the man would probably try to pay the Dupain-Chengs to keep their daughter away from his investment, er, son. But having known Mr. Dupain and Mrs. Cheng, Adrien was sure they'd try and defend Marinette and would turn down the money.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He needed to find a way to ensure Marinette was safe from his father. Who knows what the man would do. He hired Lila into the company and let his son be uncomfortable for almost 2 years. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It's not like he could secure Marinette’s future… Or could he? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was only 15, soon to be 16. As crazy as it sounded, this negotiation would be better than being forced into an arranged marriage with someone he didn't love. He's been dreaming of marrying his Lady since forever. This would only be pre-planning for their future.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He only hoped Marinette would agree to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He needed to make a few phone calls before going back to class...</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>She ended up going to school after lunch. It threw some teachers off for a moment, but nothing more came of it. The rest of the afternoon was as boring as her pre-Ladybug days.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ever since Adrien had come back from lunch though, he had seemed nervous around her. He didn't say much other than "I need to ask you something later."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It made her nervous. She wasn't sure what that could mean.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was it possible he was giving up on her? Probably not. News like that would have been eating him with fear and worry about her getting akumatized.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was something else.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Adrien took Marinette for a quick stroll before arriving at one of the more secluded parks in Paris. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The area was quiet and you could hear the birds and the light breeze. Trees surrounded them and provided a cool shade from the summer sun. Underneath one of the bigger trees near the center was a blanket with a picnic basket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette was confused. Was this supposed to be a date?! "Adrien, what is all this?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I figured we could spend some time together, but somewhere where we won't be interrupted."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Interrupted?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien realized what he had said as he blushed profusely from embarrassment. "Not like </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I just- I wanted us to spend time together outside the suits and masks, and by ourselves in a place where you wouldn't be worried. I figured a park away from our homes would be better so I rented the area for a few hours…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?!" Marinette was shocked. He went through all of this just to get alone time with her? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry if it's too much!" He was scratching the back of his neck in that old habit of his. "I just wasn't sure what else would work, and I didn't want to ask Nino because then Alya would find out and well…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's- It's really sweet of you. Maybe just don't rent the entire park out, or maybe just not tell me? I know money probably isn't that big of a deal for your dad, but if someone other than a rich person heard you, they would think you would be planning something huge."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not your fault. You're not exactly a regular teenager."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Neither are you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you count the superhero part, then fine."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Touché. Do you want to sit down?" He asked as he laid out the blanket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, sure." She was taken aback by his sudden change of topic, but chose not to address it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's nothing fancy, but I may have asked your parents for help with the food…" he admitted as he took out the plates, utensils and the dishes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wish I had known earlier or I would've changed into something else." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You always look pawsitively furbulous My Lady." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Already throwing out the puns Kitty? I can't brielieve it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, now you have my permission to keep her, Kid!" interrupted Plagg as he flew away onto the tree above with a piece of camembert.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking one of her cookies from Marinette’s purse, Tikki flew up too. "Enjoy your food!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien couldn't help but laugh. "At least they'll be out of our hair for a while…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A simple platter of sandwiches, dessert and tea was all they needed as the superheroes chatted away. Marinette had laid down and rested her head on Adrien's lap. Some teasing on Adrien’s part resulted in "Princess Pigtails" losing her hair scrunchies, who were currently in possession by Plagg and Tikki. Not that either human minded or were complaining.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien wasn't sure how he was going to ask Marinette. This was pretty much skipping the first 2 steps of their 'relationship.'</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Have you decided if you're going to the lycée général or lycée professionnel?" asked Marinette.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Um, not really. My father is having Nathalie look into it. Knowing him, he's probably going to send me to a private lycée under the guise that I already had my fun as a child and that it's now time to think about the future. And you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Lycée professionnel would allow me to do an internship before graduating, but part of me wants to keep learning about fashion. I'd have to go to lycée général and hope I do well enough in the exams to get into one of the fashion schools."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're an amazing designer and you already have a portfolio. You'll get into any school!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"As much as I want to though… It’s possible it won't work out," Marinette said quietly as she closed her eyes. Just the thought of the possibilities of not being able to truly become a designer hurt to think about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What do you mean?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What if Paris still needs Ladybug and Chat Noir in 3 years? I'll have to start working if I want to start saving money for my own shop after my university graduation. I know Maman and Papa would pay me if I asked them for a job, but I don't think they'd appreciate their own daughter skipping out on the job. And it's not like I can depend on commissions to sustain me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Who says you can't work in fashion while being a superhero?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hawk Moth and Mayura."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What if there was a way you could do both?" asked Adrien. This may be the best segway into his idea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Superheroing and being a fashion designer? Adrien, if I go missing from my job, people will notice."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What if you could do it at your own pace without the need to hurry to finish your degree?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The aspiring designer was confused as to what in the world her partner was referring to. "As great as that would sound, there's no way that can happen."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want 3 kids and a hamster," blurted out the model. So maybe he was getting cold feet? This was a big idea anyways…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bluebell eyes shot open. "Wh-What?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Crap!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"When we're older, I want us to have 3 kids and a hamster, but before that…" he continued as he took a deep breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was nervous as she stared up at his green eyes. This definitely didn't feel like a "Will you be my girlfriend?" kind of discussion. "Yes?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't want to pressure you or anything, but this is just me thinking about us and our future. We both know how my father can be. I admit, I'm scared that he'll try and keep us apart once we actually start dating… I want you to marry me."</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What did he say?!</span>
  </em>
  <span> She shot up, turning her body to face him as her messy hair fell. "Adrien! I- You-! Marry? You want to get </span>
  <em>
    <span>married</span>
  </em>
  <span>?!" Sure, she's dreamt of it, but that was years from now. Not when they weren't even of age yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't mean now," he replied. "I was thinking maybe we could get engaged while in lycée and get married later once we're doing our university studies. My father's probably going to try and pressure me to marry a designer so I can keep the business in the family. This makes him happy, you can eventually become the head designer and I'll take care of the business of things. It's a win for everyone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Call me crazy for thinking about this now, but I know my father, Marinette. And I know what I want. I don't want any other girl. No one else is as selfless, kind, patient, resilient, persistent, hard working, creative and talented as you. I know I've screwed up in the past, but I don't want to ruin our future. I don't know how things will go, but I do know that I want to do whatever I can so you can be happy. Just because we're partners in the suit doesn't mean we can't be partners out of it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why was she crying? Marinette wasn't sure as she covered her face, trying to take deep breaths. It's not like he was breaking up with her, but she didn't want to be engaged before she was ready! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette?" Adrien was worried he'd accidentally caused an anxiety attack or worse, an akuma.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I just… need a moment," she responded. She was still crying as she looked at him. "It's- It's a lot to take in. You- I can't. This isn't-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Isn't what you wanted?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No. I mean, yes. It is, but not this way Adrien. I've- I've dreamt about marrying you, but I thought- I thought things would be different. I want to get married for love, not for convenience and not as a way to get what I want. I want to work and show that I earned my position as a designer. I don't just want it handed to me. If I get named as head designer before I've done my share of work, it won't matter. I'll just be known as the baker that married into the Agreste family for the money and name recognition."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But why should it matter what others think? You're already making a name for yourself."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If we were to get married and then all of a sudden your father were to step down before either of us finished our education, do you really think we'd be able to do it? A pair of 18-19 year olds running a worldwide, multimillion dollar fashion house? One misstep and a word from Audrey Bourgeois would mean it's over for me. It's career suicide rushing into this. Into all of this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I need credibility that I earned. No amount of money in the world is going to earn me respect. Using your money would make me exactly like Chloé and Lila. I can't agree to this Adrien. I'm sorry, but you can't just ask me to marry you because you want to make sure I'm financially secure. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If- If we're going to get married one day, I want it to be without us feeling pressured to marry for any other reason other than us wanting to. We're only 15. We have dreams, but there are 11 million people depending on us to keep them safe. As much as I want to be selfish and follow my dreams, that's not possible until Hawk Moth is defeated. No one's futures can be safe until Paris no longer has to suffer because of the akumas. At some point I'm going to have to make a decision and it's not going to be easy. As long as Paris is in danger, Ladybug’s going to be around. As long as Ladybug’s around, I can’t put myself first. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, but I can't. I can't do this…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette was shaking a bit. It wasn't that noticeable, but it was just enough for the kwamis to fly down without a word and nuzzle her cheek in comfort.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien shouldn’t have been completely surprised by Marinette’s reaction. Yet a part of him hoped she wouldn't shoot down the idea entirely. This hurt just as bad as when she rejected him as Ladybug all those months ago. "I… understand. I shouldn't have brought it up. It was a stupid idea anyway. I can't say I'm surprised. You've always put others before yourself."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even though they weren't transformed, she could picture his fake ears and tail, and how they'd move in reaction to Adrien’s sadness and disappointment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It wasn't a stupid idea," she said as she hugged him. "It was thoughtful of you, but it's not an idea that would work for the both of us. At least not right now."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So if I asked later on…" he trailed off, his voice full of hope.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette blushed. "I doubt I would tell you 'No, I won't marry you.' It's just… I want it to mean something for both of us. You can plan a fancy picnic or whatever you want for it. You could ask me on a rainy day in front of our old collège and it wouldn't matter as long as you mean what you're promising me Kitty. Can you at least make that promise?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I purromise."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I tried my best with the rhyming</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <b>Paris' Most Eligible Teen Boy Taken?!</b>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>
      <span>Yesterday evening, an unnamed account tweeted a picture of what appears to be </span>
    </em>
    <span>Gabriel </span>
    <em>
      <span>model and heir Adrien Agreste, with a girl. Someone else replied to the tweet claiming that the teenager rented out an entire park for himself for the afternoon. No further details were provided, but the photo suggests that the two were rather cozy feeding each other and snuggling while at the aforementioned park. What does this mean for the future of Gabriel Agreste's son and his company?</span>
    </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The speculative headline irritated Gabriel. After all the trouble with the Rossi girl, his son had to end up on the tabloids again. Had he not learned anything? His image was essential to the brand. If Adrien was seen as taken, a large portion of the demographic could retaliate against the brand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sure his son had a portion of fans who protected his image, but a lousy fan group wouldn't help sales.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Nathalie, inform Adrien that he is not allowed to enter any romantic relationship without my approval. We don't have time to handle any romantic relationship rumors after the Rossi disaster and the failure with the Tsurugi girl. Tell him that he better have a solution to rectify this or else he'll spend lycée at home with private tutors."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, sir."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Adrien was ready to Cataclysm the mansion by the time he arrived to school the following morning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His father was not only threatening his freedom, but also Marinette (even though he didn't know it), all to keep up the "image."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>How was his own happiness an issue? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You okay bro?" asked Nino as Adrien slammed his locker door shut. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No. And I won't be until I can move out in 2 years and be free from Father."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I guess the old man didn't take the news report well?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course he didn't Nino," Adrien rolled his eyes in annoyance. "I either find a way to stop the rumors or it's no lycée for me and I won't be able to see Marinette without risking getting caught sneaking out."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Seriously?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah. It's one thing to try and tell me what to do. It's another thing to try and stop me from seeing the girl I love."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"OH-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"MY-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"EEEEEEHHHHH!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nino and Adrien covered their ears as a bunch of squeals filled the locker room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I expect all the betting money before the picnic so it can be properly distributed," said Alya smugly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Betting money?" asked the model as he saw several of his classmates pull out euros. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Secret betting pool we've had for the last 2 years," explained Alya as she walked around collecting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How come I never heard about this?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It was a secret for a reason. Marinette knew, but she bet against herself at the beginning. Don't get mad at her. She honestly thought she would be 'just a friend' for the rest of our lives. She only lost 1 euro. Don't worry, we have another one that won't end until you marry her."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the mention of marrying Marinette, Adrien blushed and tried to escape quickly. Unfortunately for him, the girls blocked the exit as the guys snickered behind him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So you do want to marry her?" asked Mylène.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No answer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Have you thought about it?" asked Rose.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No answer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So is your red faced silence confirmation? You said you love her," questioned Alix.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still no answer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I guess it is," said Juleka.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"If you care about Marinette, you'll help me figure out a way out of this instead of just questioning me." Adrien wasn't in the mood to answer as he glared at them.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Marinette was trying not to freak out. She hadn't been identified as the girl that was with Adrien, but she knew this was probably not good for him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What if this leads to- Don't go there. If it did happen, Bunnyx would've stopped you yesterday. No Bunnyx means no change in your future.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>School was about to start so there was no way she'd be able to talk to Adrien until after classes, if his phone and computer hadn't been taken away. She could go to class, but then everyone would try and snoop. Maybe Ladybug could sneak by at night to see him?</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>"Our sweet, naive and innocent Golden Sunshine boy. That is </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> how you propose to someone!" screamed Alya. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien had recounted the event from the night before (minus the superhero details). He didn't expect everyone to cringe or yell. He wasn't sure why Chloé stuck around, but that was the least of his worries.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I wasn't trying to hurt her, I swear. I just wanted to help her."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That's sweet and all, but Marinette isn't interested in your money."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I know Alya." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What was this? Gang up on Adrien day?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I need something else that will get Father to back off. If he can get good publicity from it, that's better."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Why not perform with Kitty Section?" proposed Rose. "We could make it a charity event sponsored by your dad's company!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"He thinks that that type of music adds to my 'rebellion'."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You rebel?" asked Kim as he laughed. "Your old man is </span>
  <em>
    <span>totally </span>
  </em>
  <span>out of touch. Kitty Section is rock, but they aren't what your dad would think of as rebellion and angst."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"This is a long shot, but what if Jagged Stone or Clara Nightingale agreed to perform?" added Ivan. "They're famous people. Your dad wouldn't be able to say no."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Clara is one of my dad's clients. I have her contact info but-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You'll need to make that call," ordered Alya. "The worst she can say is that she can't participate. I'm sure we can figure something else out for a backup. Juleka, think your mom would be up to contacting Jagged if we say we're sticking it to Gabriel Agreste? She should mention that it's also for Marinette’s sake." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Probably. She does find Mr. Agreste too stuffy."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Alya radiated confidence as she stood in the center of the group. "Well then, time to get to work!"</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>"Adrien, how do you do? I didn't expect this phone call from you!" rhymed Clara as she answered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adrien had no clue how the singer managed to rhyme everything. "Hi, Clara. I'm fine. I was calling because I could use a favor."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"A favor you ask of me? What is it for? Make your plea."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's kind of a long story, but some friends of mine are putting together a charity performance and I want my father to sponsor it. This would be a good public relations opportunity for both you and him if you were to take part. I would like to perform on stage as a contribution, but this would only be possible if you come on board. Will you consider it?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"The idea intrigues me to say the least. When is the day of the concert? Will there be a feast?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"In about a month. I'm sure there will be food."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I have time off to perform, but I have to see. A different opportunity may arise and then I'll have to decide which will be free and which will have a fee."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Remember when I did your music video? The girl that was supposed to play Ladybug, Marinette?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Her, I can recall! Sweet and helpful, she'll help you if you fall."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah. She's- Well, I go to school with her. She's a designer and designed Jagged Stone's glasses. She's probably going to design the outfits for the performances. I want to be with her, but my father won't let me. My heart belongs to her, but unless this event goes well, I may lose her."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"A broken heart I cannot hate. Star-crossed lovers must unite before it's too late. I hope that your wish will come true. So expect me and my music on the stage for your hope to renew."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Really? That's great! Thank you so much. I'll send you the details when they're finalized." Relief washed over Adrien. He had hope.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Goodbye for now. Adieu and chau."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>While eating lunch on their houseboat, Juleka brought up Luka up to speed on the idea.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I have no issue with it. If it's to help Marinette, I'm good with whatever. But Mom won't like that we're trying to play for Gabriel Agreste's company."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's more for Adrien, so he can end this mess. You don't know his dad."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I've heard the stories, Jules."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Then you can imagine how much he doesn't like what's going on. Adrien rebelling is a bad thing in his eyes. For our friends, it's a good thing. Jagged Stone loves Marinette’s work. If we tell him it's a way to help her out, we think it can work."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll see what I can do."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Marinette wasn't expecting Jagged Stone to show up at the bakery at lunchtime. Needless to say, their customers were surprised and happy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once they had cleared the shop, and the door locked, Penny stated their business. "Jagged needs a new suit for a performance in less than a month."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That soon?" asked Marinette. "What concert will it be for?" As far as Marinette was aware, there were no awards shows coming up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's a favor to Anarka Couffaine's children. Their band will be putting on a charity concert sponsored by the Agrestes."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was a surprise to the Dupain-Chengs. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Gabriel Agreste agreed to sponsor a rock concert?" asked Tom. This sounded too weird.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No. That old, stuffy coot isn't going to. Not that he knows yet anyways," replied Jagged. "It's his son's idea. Him and the lot of his friends are quite the thinkers. They want to shove-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Jagged!" Penny glared his way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Uh, they want to show Gabriel Agreste that he can't stop his son."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sabine wasn't buying it either. "How does a charity concert help?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"The little rock 'n rollers told me Gabriel Agreste isn't gonna let the little guy be with this little lady." Jagged pointed to Marinette. "And that he's planning on not letting the little guy rock out. That's unacceptable in my book. These little rock 'n rollers are the next generation! Marinette over here is going to design the wardrobe. Her name gets recognized and Gabriel Agreste would be an idiot to not take her up as his protégé. The kids get to rock out and help a good cause, and Marinette gets herself a rocking good pianist."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So this was for a good cause. And for her? And so she and Adrien could be together?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Uh, excuse me, Mr. Stone? Besides Adrien, who else is involved?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"When Jagged and I went to meet with the Couffaines, we saw about 10 others, including the Ladyblogger and the kids' band," answered Penny.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Alya was there, which meant Nino was also there. If Juleka was there, then there was the band. Alix and Kim wouldn't be too far behind…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was almost everyone from the class. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll start designing right away and send my ideas over," said Marinette as she stood up with a new hope in her heart. "I'll let everyone know in person about their own designs. Thank you very much Ms. Rolling and Mr. Stone. Excuse me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marinette ran back to her room to gather her designing notebook and her backpack. It was time that the everyday Ladybug made her return.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>By the end of lunch, Nathaniel and Marc had designed a flyer. Kitty Section began deciding on a set list and Alya was beaming. Nino agreed to help mix the music and dj in between sets.</p><p>Chloé being Chloé wasn't going to miss the opportunity to meet Clara Nightingale again and thus was heard screaming threats into her phone while in the locker room. "If we don't have the best service for Clara, my Daddy will hear about this and then you'll be sorry!... No, I don't care about that. I care that the headline performers at the Agreste charity concert have the best treatment while they stay with us. Reach out to their management or whatever and ask! And call my mother too! She'll be interested in seeing who Jagged and Clara wear…. Of course it won't be a <em> Gabriel </em> original. He's too busy to worry about my Adrikins. I'm not telling you who. If I did, it would totally ruin my image. As if I'd publicly share my support. It's ridiculous, utterly ridiculous."</p><p>Marinette was confused when she arrived at school and heard Chloé's yelling. Not wanting to interrupt, she made her way upstairs to Ms. Bustier's room. Sitting at her desk, she spent the rest of the time sketching.</p><p>"Marinette, what are you here?" Alya called out. "Not that it's a bad thing. We just didn't expect you to be back so soon." A few other heads popped in as lunch was ending. </p><p>"Um," Marinette took a deep breath to gather her thoughts. "Thank you. I- Whoever came up with the idea for the charity concert, I think it's a great idea. It'll help a lot of people. And- And it means a lot that you all are doing this for Adrien. I've already started working on designs."</p><p>"Already? But we barely started putting it together this morning," said Kim. </p><p>"Jagged Stone came to the bakery in person to request a new suit. I… may have managed to get the details out of him and his assistant…" trailed off Marinette.</p><p>"How much did he say?" asked Max. "We knew that there was a high likelihood that he would tell you, but the uncertainty was with just how much he would say."</p><p>"He said that it was for charity."</p><p>"Really? That's <em> all </em> he said?"</p><p>"Thank you for trying to find a way to convince Adrien's dad to let him follow his heart." Marinette was proud of herself. She said her thank you without stumbling.</p><p>"Rose was the one that thought of the concert," Mylène said.</p><p>"Ivan suggested we try and get Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale," added Rose.</p><p>"Clara Nightingale too?!" Marinette was now trying not to freak out. She had done stuff for Jagged Stone before. He hadn't mentioned Clara Nightingale!</p><p>"Adrien already sent her some of your work. You'll be fine."</p><p>"Mari, if you don't want to design-" began Adrien.</p><p>"No! I mean, yes, I want to. But why me? Isn't she one of your dad's clients?"</p><p>"I told her that I want us to be together, but my father won't allow it and that this may be the only chance we have. That convinced her to do the concert."</p><p>"It's like Romeo and Juliet!" squealed Rose.</p><p>"Except no one's going to die. Maybe just the broken hearts of Adrien's fangirls," joked Alix.</p><p>"Nah," countered Nino. "Adrien's hardcore fansquad will stomp it out."</p><p>"What if we got Adrien's cousin to trick them?" suggested Kim.</p><p>"No!" exclaimed both Marinette and Adrien at the same time.</p><p>"He'd cover for me if it was the right situation, but to throw off my fans? He'll start changing my personality to the point where Nathalie may notice."</p><p>"Felix is a creep," muttered Marinette more to herself than to anyone else.</p><p>Adrien's cat-like hearing picked up on what Marinette said and pulled her aside. "No one's going to invite him. If this is about the time he came over, he apologized to me about it."</p><p>"He willingly wanted to help Hawk Moth. No one that's good would do such a thing," whispered Marinette.</p><p>"Chloé fell for Hawk Moth's manipulation not too long ago, remember?"</p><p>"The circumstances were different and I was partly to blame for that. I haven't heard about Chloé causing anymore akumas. Besides, your cousin was pushy. That's never a good sign."</p><p>"It's not going to happen again."</p><p>"That's what he says. I don't trust him."</p><p>"I'm not inviting him over anytime soon if it makes you feel better."</p><p>"He's definitely not coming to the wedding," mumbled Marinette as she blushed. </p><p>"I-, we still have some time before that. And you know that I won't let him hurt you, right?"</p><p>"Yeah, but it doesn't mean I won't punch him again if I have to."</p><p>"Come on, we better get back there or we won't hear the end of it."</p><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
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    <b>Agreste Charity Concert for Education</b>
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  <p>
    <em> A short video posted on the Ladyblog featuring Ladybug and Chat Noir drew attention this week as both heroes announced a special concert at the end of the month. Coinciding with the end of the Parisian school year, Adrien Agreste let it slip that the Agreste father and son duo will have a one night event featuring Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale with a local band opening for them. The profits from ticket sales will be going to multiple schools and charities that work with low income families. </em>
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  <p>Gabriel <em> brand heir and model Adrien Agreste released a statement: "Ladybug and Chat Noir inspire so many of us to find a way to make a difference. I have a unique experience when it comes to my education, but I have a lot more to learn about access to education and learning in general. My friends have allowed me to see what their lives are like and I've come to realize the importance of having access to resources is important. I want to give other kids opportunities in hopes that they can continue learning and one day return to their communities and give back. I want to thank my father for allowing me to pursue this idea and for agreeing to sponsor it. I also want to thank Clara Nightingale and Jagged Stone for kindly agreeing to partake in this event. It wouldn't have happened without them." </em></p>
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    <em> When asked about the event after defeating the latest akuma, Chat Noir commented. "Adrien Agreste is quite the catch. Right behind me of course! Having spoken with him a few times, I say he's a pretty chill guy. Totally not spoiled like some think, and he's nice! He doesn't bite. He's the opposite of his father. I think the company's going to be in good paws when he takes over in a few years. I hope we can see him have more events like these. My Lady and I enjoy getting to see Paris having fun. Who knows, we may pop in for a date?" </em>
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  <p>
    <em> As typical for Ladybug, the superheroine denied all rumors about a romance with her partner. "We're just friends! Don't let the Kitty eyes fool you. In regards to the concert, I'm fully behind the idea. Every kid should get access to the best education possible. I hope that everyone can continue doing their part to help make Paris better, not just on Heroes' Day, but every day. No matter how big or small an action may be, with one little action the chain reaction won't ever stop." </em>
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</blockquote><p>Multiple akumas have had little effect on the morale of Parisians across the city. The preparations for the concert were underway despite Gabriel Agreste loathing it. His son did manage to bring good press yet again. </p><p>Sales were up, and yet the rumors hadn't left. Kagami Tsurugi once again dispelled rumors that she was the mystery girl. She provided no further comment other than "We were never together. We have been nothing more than friends."</p><p>He needed a new plan. </p><p>Allowing Adrien to formally see the unknown girl would devastate his son's fans. A couple of them together could pose a disruption during the performances…. </p><p>But they won't do. They'll eventually get over their petty tears.</p><p>He could find a way to break the girl's heart. That could work. He just needed his son to bring her and meet her….</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
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    <em> "I couldn't be more proud of my son. He has begun taking initiatives to help improve the company. Our employees continue to work hard and are vital to the success of the brand. I trust Adrien will continue to inspire them as he matures and continues to prepare for his future. My son will continue his education into a university. We have had to reorganize his priorities in order to reflect the change, but I can assure that he will continue to be the face of many campaigns. As with any teenager, he has his secrets. He has my permission to go out, but he has a tendency to keep quiet unless it's important. I haven't had the opportunity to meet the girl he's grown to care about, but if she's making my son happy, that is all I can ask of her.  </em>
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  <p>
    <em> "Adrien and I will both be present at the gala Mayor Bourgeois is hosting as a precursor to the concert. We hope that those who are able to join us enjoy the evening." </em>
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</blockquote><hr/><p>Adrien couldn't believe his luck when he first saw the news report. His father praising him and approving of him being in a relationship?</p><p>Was he akumatized?! It didn't appear so. </p><p>Adrien felt like he was going to be a wreck. Plagg should just have Cataclysmed him on the spot. His father requested to have dinner with him before the gala. He tried to tell Nathalie he was bringing a date, but he wasn’t sure if the message had been passed along. He made sure that their chef knew at least to prepare for 3 meals.</p><p>He was now waiting for Marinette to come downstairs as he, Tom and Sabine waited in the Dupain-Cheng living room. He had survived the "If you hurt my daughter" talk. Tom wasn't entirely scary, but he was serious about it. Adrien knew he meant it, having recalled the Weredad incident from months before.</p><hr/><p>"It's no big deal. You’re just having dinner with Adrien. And with his dad. Who happens to be your favorite fashion designer whose contests you've won and who could have you blacklisted from the industry. No pressure. Totally no pressure. Oh, who am I kidding?! This is going to be a disaster!"</p><p>Marinette was starting to panic. She didn’t expect Gabriel Agreste to want to meet her. She didn't expect to have to eat dinner with him anytime soon. She wasn’t even dating his son! (At least not now.)</p><p>"I can't do this! I can’t!" she muttered as she paced back and forth across her room. </p><p>Her dress and hair weren't the issues. It was her brain that wouldn’t shut up! </p><p>"Everything's going to turn out okay Marinette," Tikki tried to reassure her. "Adrien's going to be there with you."</p><p>"It's not that. I trust Adrien. I know he's going to help me however he can, but this is his <em> dad </em> we're talking about. He's intimidating and it's hard not to feel nervous around him. What if I make a fool of myself?!"</p><p>Her hands were fidgeting a lot since she didn't want to ruin her hair. In the current state she was in, there was no way she could leave her room. Maybe she could fake sick?</p><p>No, her parents and Adrien would be able to tell right away. Curse her bad lying abilities. </p><p>"I can't do this!"</p><p>There was a knock on her door.</p><p>"Marinette?"</p><p>It was her mom.</p><p>"Y-Yes Maman?"</p><p>"Can I come in?"</p><p>"Yes." </p><p>Tikki quickly hid in Marinette’s purse.</p><p>Sabine opened the door to see her daughter's frantic state. Closing the door so they wouldn't be interrupted, she guided her daughter so they could sit on the chaise.</p><p>"What’s making you feel scared, dear?"</p><p>"Scared? I'm not scared. Nervous, a little, but I'm not scared."</p><p>"Marinette, it's perfectly normal to feel a bit scared. I almost cancelled on your dad when he invited me to meet his parents."</p><p>"You did?"</p><p>The mother hugged her only daughter as she rubbed her back. "Your grandfather wasn't the nicest person, but your grandmother made me feel right at home. Things pretty much stayed the same once Papa and I told them we were getting married."</p><p>"But I'm not dating Adrien! We're- We're just friends," the girl insisted even though both mother and daughter knew otherwise.</p><p>"Whether it's as friends or something more, Adrien inviting you to dinner and to accompany him to the gala is important to him. Your dad and I can tell he cares about you a lot. And we understand why you’re still holding back. You're trying to protect yourself. There's nothing wrong with that, but after everything that's happened, don't you think you deserve to have some happiness?"</p><p>Marinette had asked herself that before, but she couldn’t fully explain to her parents why she held back. She couldn't risk putting them in danger. </p><p>"I've talked with Adrien about it and he's willing to wait. At the same time I feel like I'm hurting him and stringing him along. It's like what happened with Luka. Except this time I'm not undecided in who I want. This time I'm trying to be responsible," she explained.</p><p>"You've always been responsible, sweetie."</p><p>"There's several things I'm working on and they need my attention. They're important to me and I don't want to be distracted," Marinette vaguely answered.</p><p>"That's fine, but I don't think Adrien would be a bad distraction. In fact, I think he would be a good distraction for you, Marinette. It's always good to have someone who you can confide in."</p><p>"I do, Mama. I trust him and more, but things are more complicated than they look. Adrien knows why. I wish I could explain, but I can't." </p><p>Sabine reassured her daughter. "You don't have to explain everything dear. Your father and I just want what's best for you and for you to be happy."</p><p>"I know… I'm just…. This feels like it's a lot. Having dinner with Adrien and his dad and then going to the gala with Adrien, it's a date without the label, Mom. What if I screw it up and Mr. Agreste-"</p><p>"He's already seen your talent. You've impressed Audrey Bourgeois. Just focus on being yourself. No worrying about fashion or designing tonight. Can you try doing that?"</p><p>"I- I think so. Thank you, Maman."</p><p>"You're welcome. Now let's get you presentable. Anymore waiting and I think your father and Adrien are going to have a pun-off."</p>
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<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 29</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Gabriel questions someone and Adrien may have just set himself up for a challenge</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The dress she's wearing is THE dress from Instagram</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Tom, get the camera ready," Sabine said as she came back to the living room. </p><p>"Is Marinette okay?" the baker asked his wife. </p><p>"She will be. She just needed a mother-daughter talk."</p><p>Marinette held onto the rail as she went down the stairs. In her other hand she held the skirt of her dress. The dress was something she had designed but modified from a wedding dress design that had been discarded. Pink and with multiple tiers making up the skirt, it was a ballgown without the petticoat. Each tier had some variation of her signature flower pattern.</p><p>Adrien found himself standing up straighter as he heard Marinette’s steps. As she neared the bottom, he went to the steps and offered his hand as he was left speechless.</p><p>Marinette blushed as she accepted Adrien's hand at the bottom of the stairs. "C-Chat got your tongue?"</p><p>It took a moment for Adrien to register the fact that his Lady <em> punned. </em> In true Chat Noir style, he bowed and kissed her hand. "You- You look beautiful. Not that you don't always look purrty, but it's just- Wow…"</p><p>"Thank you. You look handsome," Marinette managed to say. Adrien was obviously wearing one of his father's designs, but unlike the usual black shirt that he wore with the dark gray suit, he had a white shirt on and with a green handkerchief in the jacket pocket.</p><p>After posing for photos for her parents, Marinette held onto Adrien’s hand through the car ride and as they entered the Agreste mansion.</p><p>Waiting atop the steps once inside was Gabriel Agreste in his usual suit. "Good evening Adrien."</p><p>"Good evening Father," replied the model. "This is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She'll be accompanying me to the gala tonight so I had the chef prepare dinner for 3 tonight."</p><p>"Good evening Ms. Dupain-Cheng. It's a pleasure to see you again," said Gabriel as he climbed down the steps.</p><p>"Good evening sir, and likewise."</p><p>"Shall we go in?"</p><p>Dinner was a bit awkward at times as neither father nor son knew what to say. While most of the talk surrounded fashion and Marinette’s opinions on the trends, during dessert came the embarrassment for Adrien.</p><p>"Ms. Dupain-Cheng, I assume you are the young lady my son was caught on camera with at the park. That being said, I do not take Adrien's romantic relationships lightheartedly. His future will depend a lot on who he associates himself with. So as his father, I do have to ask, what are your goals with my son?"</p><p>Marinette should've seen it coming, but at the same time, she couldn't be completely taken aback. "My goals with Adrien?"</p><p>"Father, that's not necessary-"</p><p>"Adrien, give Ms. Dupain-Cheng an opportunity to reply."</p><p>"Yes, Father." Adrien bit his cheek, but gave Marinette’s hand a squeeze under the table.</p><p>"Sir, if you are implying that I have financial goals with Adrien, things aren't like that. Although Adrien has expressed his feelings for me, I'm not pursuing a formal relationship with him yet. There are personal matters that I'm taking care of at the moment and those things need my full attention. Once those are taken care of, I'll reciprocate my feelings," responded Marinette, pausing to catch her breath. "I can understand your concerns as his father. I assure you that my feelings for Adrien stem from having gotten to know him as a person and not from desires for money."</p><p>"And what if he were to lose access to the finances he's set to inherit when he is of age?"</p><p>"I'm happy with how my family lives and I'm proud of our bakery. The Dupains have baked bread for Paris for many generations and while the Chengs focus more on cooking, both sides of my family have allowed me to appreciate food as a form of art. Just like clothing and accessories reflect a designer, food is how my family expresses themselves. Like making clothes, it takes practice and learning to master how to cook and bake more exquisite and detailed food. I've been able to use those skills as an aspiring designer. Both require creativity and the ability to think about presentation.</p><p>"Both are different careers, and while my parents would like to see me follow in their footsteps, they have supported my decision to become a designer. Money hasn't really ever been discussed because the work we do is the thing we love and have passion for. I don't need extra money to be happy. I may not be wealthy, but my parents have taught and showed me what earning for a living is about."</p><p>Gabriel didn't anticipate the answer he heard. He expected the girl to fumble a bit. If she was nervous, she was doing a good job of hiding it.</p><p>"What are your plans for lycée and beyond?"</p><p>"I'm currently about to enroll at a lycée général, but I have considered a lycée professionnel. I would like to continue learning about designing and the process. I'm not ready to start a fashion line and I think attending one of the fashion schools here in Paris will help."</p><p>"Weren't you offered an opportunity to go to New York with Audrey Bourgeois?"</p><p>"Yes, sir, but I turned it down because I have important things to do and to take care of here in Paris. I know that New York would've been an amazing experience, but I know that the universities here in Paris are also some of the best in the world."</p><p>"And if Adrien were to leave Paris? What would you do then?"</p><p>Marinette fought the urge to glance over at Adrien. Surely Mr. Agreste was throwing this question as a "What if?" hypothetical. He wouldn't send Adrien out of Paris. Not when he was the face of the brand and with only 2 years left before he became of age. </p><p>"That would depend sir. If Adrien made the decision himself, he would have my support. He's free to follow his own feelings and dreams. If he chooses to stay, that's also fine with me," she replied. "If he's being pressured or forced to leave Paris, I would talk with him first to try and understand the reason behind this change."</p><p>So far the girl had impressed Gabriel. She was able to hold her own against him and not many people could. Maybe she would be worth keeping around. Someone like her is bound to break…</p><p>"And if he were to be married today?"</p><p>Adrien's jaw dropped due to the shock at what he was hearing. Had his father lost his mind?!</p><p>"Adrien, mind your manners. We have a guest."</p><p>"That guest is my friend whom you have been questioning long enough, Father. If this continues, we're going to be late to the gala. You've always taught me that being on time is crucial to gain an upper hand and stake out the area."</p><p>"As this is a charity event, the media will understand when they realize you stopped by to pick up your date. But the question remains to be answered son. What would Ms. Dupain-Cheng do if you were to be married today?"</p><p>This had to be a trick question. She just spoke with Adrien not too long before, that day at the park. If she said she opposed him getting married, she may be seen as someone who's a gold digger because she wants Adrien for herself. But if she said she supported Adrien getting married, Adrien would believe that she didn't care about his heart…</p><p>"I want what makes Adrien the happiest. If he falls in love and marries a girl he loves, I'll be there like the friend he's always considered me. If they weren't a good fit, I would try to tell him how I felt about that relationship if he asked my opinion of it. I think Adrien should marry for love and not simply for power and money. Although that may be advantageous from a business perspective, it may not be the best thing in the long term. If employees aren't happy, that has a negative effect on productivity. I think that applies to the leader of a company too. They are the face of a brand after all. If the person in charge has a negative attitude, that will trickle down the chain of command and ultimately affect other employees and their abilities to produce top quality work."</p><p>Adrien really wished he could kiss Marinette. He didn't know what it was, but he'd say Ladybug was back. She was taking on each of his father's questions with little hesitation in comparison to what he had seen in weeks past. </p><p>"What would you recommend then Ms. Dupain-Cheng to Adrien so that the company can produce the best products?"</p><p>"It would depend on what the issue was. If it's about the quality of the clothing, then he would need to look at the fabrics used and how they're put together. If it's the company's productivity, he can ask for feedback to address issues and concerns, and then address those. If it turns out it's his attitude, then he would need to figure out what's causing that negativity and address that particular issue."</p><p>"One last question Ms. Dupain-Cheng."</p><p>"Yes, sir?"</p><p>"Being a well-known model or a fashion designer means that media attention will be on the individual often. Sometimes there is no privacy. There will be criticisms, critiques, comments, judgements and the like from people. Both about how one presents themselves and their work, as well as about their personal life. How do you navigate such issues to ensure that there are no scandals or leaks?"</p><p><em> What is this, a job interview now? </em> asked Marinette to herself.</p><p>"I think establishing a good relationship with the media and with one's connections is important. Those relationships can become vital later on. It will be impossible to hide from the media and press, but I think not answering questions of one's personal life would be a start to maintaining some privacy. If you don't give them details they want, the press won't have material to speculate on from you. If it comes from a secondary or tertiary source, you can look into discrediting that source. It's no guarantee, but respect goes a long way. You can try and blame everyone else or play the victim for a long time, but at some point the media will get tired of it and call it an act. That would be bad. So don't cause trouble in the first place and the rest should be fine."</p><p>"Thank you Ms. Dupain-Cheng for your answers. I hope my son has learned from this. It appears I was mistaken to misjudge you. I was told you were a bad influence on Adrien. However, I have been proven wrong. A young lady such as yourself has the potential to become a powerful designer once you are ready to begin working in the fashion industry."</p><p>"Thank you sir," was all Marinette managed to say. </p><p>Someone told Mr. Agreste that she was a bad influence on Adrien? Who could have-</p><p>Her breath quickened for a moment before regaining her composure.</p><p>"Adrien, you will be the company representative tonight at the gala," said Gabriel as he got out of his seat.</p><p>"You're not attending tonight?" asked Adrien, trying to not show his disappointment. For once he had hoped to be able to attend an event with his dad without being let down.</p><p>"I need to re-evaluate some things and it's of the utmost importance. Ms. Dupain-Cheng appears prepared, so I trust that she will be able to help you navigate your way at the event," commented the elder Agreste. "You've attended enough to know what to expect and how you should behave. I expect no different tonight son."</p><p>"Yes, Father." Adrien looked down at his lap in obedience. There wouldn't be time for any fun. He'd have to pull out the "perfect son" act. He was sure that word would get back to his dad if he acted out.</p><hr/><p>Marinette wasn't sure what to expect, but so far the gala wasn't horrible at least. Her dress had gotten noticed due to its design and some adults were impressed that a teenager had managed to not just design it, but actually make it and sew it. She had to fight back laughing at them. They thought making the dress was hard? Wait until they knew that she was also the one saving them and the millions of people in the city all while going to school, fighting her internal battles with imaginary akumas inside her brain and helping her family at the bakery. A 9 to 5 job would be boring and easy compared to what she did on a weekly basis.</p><p>Adrien felt bad for Marinette because he was essentially having to schmooze his way through the entire event. Sure, he was nice and charismatic, but he had to fake the interest when it came to designing clothes. Just because he was expected to take over did not mean he had to enjoy it. He brought Marinette into the conversations by letting her comment on the trends and whatnot. Hearing her enthusiasm and passion for designing made the whole ordeal more bearable. At least he could say he had the honor of modeling her designs, one which was an official <em> Gabriel </em>piece.</p><p>After making the rounds, Adrien was finally able to pull away so he and Marinette could get some refreshments and food. "Sorry about that. With my dad not being here, I'm unfortunately stuck having to fill in my father's role and still play the perfect son. I should've guessed that those lunch meetings he's been forcing me to attend would come up at some point."</p><p>"It’s not your fault Adrien. I don't think it's fair that you're having to do this by yourself. Couldn’t your dad send someone else on his behalf?" asked Marinette. </p><p>The teens had finally found a table in the far back of the ballroom so they had a little bit of privacy since most of the people were adults. </p><p>"If he wasn't the head designer, I guess he'd send someone. He has people for marketing but Nathalie is basically in charge of communications, public relations, budgeting, scheduling and I'm not sure what else. My father makes the final decisions and oversees stuff, but the day to day stuff is handled by Nathalie primarily. My mother used to be the one that made the final decisions before…" Adrien trailed off.</p><p>Marinette took one of his hands and gently squeezed it, intertwining her fingers with his. "I know you don't talk about your mom a lot, but I think she would be proud of you. It hasn't been easy for you, having to learn and adapt when it comes to trying to be a normal person, but I know Nino and everyone else in class is happy about having you around. It wouldn't be the same without you."</p><p>Being reminded of how Marinette helped make sure he got to go to New York, Adrien chuckled a bit. "I have two questions: If sock-Washington asked sock-Lafayette to go to lycée général with him and their classmates, would she agree?, and will the Princess dance with her purrtner?" He looked at her.</p><p>Marinette had to think for a moment. The Princess dance with her partner-</p><p>Wait a second! The cat punned and she fell for it. That was a cute way to ask her to dance though. There was no way she could get mad at him for it.</p><p>But Sock-Washington asked sock-Lafayette to go to school with him? Washington didn't go to school with Lafayette. He was leading the American Continental Army. Lafayette was just a friend that arrived with support from France to help Washington… Wait… Friend who helped. </p><p>
  <em> He's asking if I'm going to go to the same school as him and everyone else? </em>
</p><p>"As of right now, I'm considering it, but I would like to dance with you," she replied.</p><p>It was the best answer Adrien could wish for given the circumstances. At least Marinette hadn't straight up shot either of his questions down. </p><p>Once on the dance floor, neither teen said much. Both were self-conscious considering the many eyes on them. Adrien didn't doubt that some reporter would post a picture of him with Marinette. Surely some of the people who knew his father would talk to him about the date/non-date the Agreste heir brought. </p><p>Marinette felt her face turn red as she looked around her. This was the third time she danced with Adrien, but this was the first time dancing as more-than-friends-but-not-official and it was also the first time they danced somewhere that wasn't in front of their friends. And she was worried she was going to trip. She couldn't relax knowing so many were watching. </p><p>"Marinette?"</p><p>The teenage girl made the mistake of looking at Adrien's face. Those green eyes were her weakness! Why couldn't it be something else? "Y-Yeah?"</p><p>"Thanks for coming with me tonight. I probably sound like a disc on repeat, but it does mean a lot. Seeing you talk about your designs made putting up with everyone worth it."</p><p>"I really didn't do much. I just answered the questions that people asked. You're the one who was hyping me up as if I was a big name designer."</p><p>"Don't undersell yourself. You're talented and are already doing some amazing stuff. I can't wait to see what you have planned for the concert."</p><p>"Thanks…" Marinette said softly as she realized she needed to finalize Kitty Section's jackets! "I should make you something," she muttered suddenly.</p><p>"You don't have to Mari."</p><p>"Think of it as a thank you present."</p><p>"For?"</p><p>"For always being there and supporting me. I promise it won't be anything big or flashy."</p><p>"You could give me a giant poster and I would love it," teased Adrien. "I do have a tendency to make people swoon when I'm on a poster."</p><p>"Sh-shut up you smug cat," the bluebell eyed girl whispered harshly. "Just because your face is plastered all over Paris doesn't mean you're getting an autographed poster of Ladybug."</p><p>"What?! You were going to get me an LB signed poster, Princess?"</p><p>"No," Marinette half rolled her eyes as she fought a smile that threatened to creep on her face. "Now you're just going to have to wait."</p><p>"Fine, but I bet my sur-purr-ise will be better."</p><p>"You have a present for me? Please don't tell me you went all out again."</p><p>"Nope," Adrien responded. "It's something more on the musical side."</p><p>"So you're writing music with Kitty Section?"</p><p>"Yes..." So maybe he lied?</p><p>"I can't wait to hear it then."</p><p>"You won't know what to expect."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 30</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>There are only 10 chapters left! Thanks again to everyone that's stayed to read up to this point.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>So maybe Adrien was way in over his head. He played piano, but would Marinette want to just hear him play a song he wrote?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So maybe his Father's insistence on piano was coming in handy now.  Not that he was going to admit it. Now he had to talk to his friends without word getting back to Marinette. He had about 2 weeks to put this together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette expected him to perform with Kitty Section…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was Luka considered Marinette’s ex-boyfriend? Probably not. It's not like they were serious. From what he understood, they hadn't labeled whatever their relationship was. So they hadn't 'dated.' Just a few hang outs. He had nothing to worry about, but that didn't change that he still felt bad about the whole situation. He couldn't go to anyone else. Rose and Juleka would tell Marinette, or they would tell Mylène and Alya and then Marinette.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sent Luka a text: </span>
  <em>
    <span>I have 2 weeks to write music and I need help. I didn't ask the others because they're going to tell everyone in my class. As far as Marinette knows, I'll be performing with Kitty Section. No one can know about this since I want it to be a surprise.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Luka replied quickly: </span>
  <em>
    <span>We have practice everyday in the evening until the day before the concert at some point. Do you think you can come by?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It's an extremely slim chance. My father has me preparing to handle the press for the concert. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Luka: </span>
  <em>
    <span>What about lunchtime?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Neither. You'd be surprised how invested people are in seeing a teenager sit through a business meeting for a business he's not set to inherit for at least 3 more years. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Luka: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Then that just leaves us meeting at your school. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Since it's the last 2 weeks, I think I may be able to convince Ms. Bustier to let me skip one of her classes, but that's if she doesn't plan anything.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Luka: </span>
  <em>
    <span>If you think it'll work. Until you get a chance to ask her on Monday, right now you could start playing notes and see what comes out. I wouldn't think too much on it. Just play what comes from your heart. If you like it, write down the notes and send the sheet music over. Are you planning on adding other instruments?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>If it flows with the piano. I figured piano+lyrics would be okay.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Luka: </span>
  <em>
    <span>piano and lyrics? I think you'll have more to worry about than just what Marinette thinks.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Luka: </span>
  <em>
    <span>I've been around my sister and her friends long enough to know that your fan base will go crazy.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Don't remind me.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Luka: </span>
  <em>
    <span>You're the one who said you were performing with us.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Me and my bad luck.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Luka: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Either way, you may want to get started asap. Sometimes writing music comes easily, but sometimes it doesn't.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I've mostly played just classical. I don't know if I'll be able to play anything else.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Luka: </span>
  <em>
    <span>That's where playing without thinking comes in. It's like when someone free draws. They just draw whatever they want at that moment. Or like when someone just writes non-stop whatever is in their head as a way to get their emotions out. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I think it makes sense.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Luka: </span>
  <em>
    <span>If you're still unsure, just pick an emotion, a memory or a message you want to convey in your music. Then think about how the notes would sound and then proceed to mess around to find a sound you like. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That makes sense. I'll give both a try and see that comes of them. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Luka: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Great! If you need to come over tomorrow or Sunday, just let me know so I can make sure Juleka and everyone else stays away.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thanks!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien spent a good part of the weekend just playing with notes, but nothing was sticking out. "Plagg, why did your bad luck cause me to blurt out that I had a musical surprise for Marinette?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not my fault, Kid," muttered Plagg as he munched on his cheese. "You're so lovesick that you're not thinking straight."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I care for Marinette, but I'm </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>lovesick."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then what do you call you visiting her at night time and trying to spoil her when she's not even your girlfriend?" Plagg was partially annoyed that even though the humans had made progress, one of them was too worried. Why didn't she just throw caution to the wind?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Plagg, Marinette’s my partner and my best friend. I'm helping her through a challenging time. It's not like things can improve overnight. It's taken time to get where we are. I get the feeling that Marinette's close to finally letting me in completely, but I don't want to risk pushing too much. This song I'm trying to work on may be the thing to help her realize I'm serious about waiting for her even though she doubts herself."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"In that case, why don't you just write about that? It shouldn't be that hard to say that you want her to be yours even when she's not at her best. You humans always overcomplicate things." The kwami went back to cuddling his precious camembert. "I just want to wrap up my sweet and precious cheese. I can call it mine and it won't ever forget it. I make it feel wanted."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your stinking camembert is an inanimate object. Go to sleep, Plagg," said Adrien as pondered what his kwami said.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I want Marinette to be happy with herself. She was practically alone the entire time before New York. I hated how lonely I felt before going to school. My friends are why I've been able to stand up to my father. It hasn't been easy, and it's led to disappointment at times, but I don't feel invisible…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>It took several more hours, but he had not just one, but two medleys started. There weren't any lyrics per se, but small phrases had been jotted down.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You're not alone</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You'll see you've got a friend</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I don't know how you do what you do</span>
  </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Marinette had made and planned more presents for Adrien than she had for anyone else… but she didn't have a "more than friends but not dating and I'm about to agree to go out with you" present.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is impossible!" Marinette yelled, tugging on her hair as she sat at her desk trying to think of ideas. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The small ladybug kwami tried to provide support to her holder. Tikki knew Marinette would spiral into a never-ending ramble if she didn't try to help. "Why don't you make lists? You can do one for the things you like about Adrien as himself, what you like about him as Chat Noir and then make a list to combine those things?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But that's only going to help me realize what I like about him and why I fell for him even though fate had a funny way of telling us our superhero selves were going to end up together."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I never said Ladybug and Chat Noir were going to get together," recalled Tikki.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It was basically implied, Tikki. You've always questioned whether I was ready to fully give up on Adrien and why I didn't open more to Chat Noir. You knew I wouldn't be able to. Why else would you ask? You knew he was Chat."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So this route didn't work. Time for a new idea. "Marinette, so maybe the lists won't work. Why don't you create something that reflects both sides of Adrien."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So his superhero and civilian selves?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Exactly. You don't want to include anything obvious that refers to him being Chat Noir, but you can include things related to that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hmm…" Marinette began jotting down things Adrien liked and things she associated with him and crossed out some.</span>
</p>
<ul>
<li><em><span>Black cats</span></em></li>
<li><em><span>Puns</span></em></li>
<li><em><span>Green</span></em></li>
<li><strike><em><span>Croissants</span></em></strike></li>
<li><strike><em><span>Macarons</span></em></strike></li>
<li><em><span>Pawprints</span></em></li>
<li><strike><em><span>Masks</span></em></strike></li>
<li><strike><em><span>Fencing</span></em></strike></li>
<li><em><span>Piano</span></em></li>
<li><strike><em><span>Modeling</span></em> </strike></li>
<li><strike><em><span>Roses</span></em></strike></li>
<li><strike><em><span>Sunshine (thanks Alya)</span></em></strike></li>
</ul><p>
  <span>"Okay, so maybe I can do a double-sided blanket? Maybe a quilt?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I like the blanket idea. Wouldn't the quilt require more details?," commented Tikki.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"For sure. I don't think I'll sew croissants and macarons, but I'll bake some. We have patrols anyways so I could give them to him then and he can sneak them into his room."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette began making her design and figuring out what she would need. "I need green, black, red and silver fabric… More green thread… Looks like I won't be getting a lot of sleep these next couple of days."</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Adrien wasn't sure what to expect Monday morning. He had left for school earlier than his early departure time just to make sure he could talk to Ms. Bustier before his friends arrived.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not many students were around so he was able to make his way without anyone stopping him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ms. Bustier, who was now showing signs of pregnancy, was writing on the chalkboard when the blond knocked on the door. "Good morning Ms. Bustier."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good morning Adrien. You're here a little earlier than normal. Is there something you need help with?" asked the red-headed teacher.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sort of," replied the young model as he set his things down in his usual seat. "I was wondering if I could use your class time to prepare for the charity concert that's on the last day of school?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ms. Bustier stopped writing as she turned and approached Adrien. "If the event was a school sponsored event or if it was in conjunction with the school, there would be no issues Adrien. However, because it isn't the case, I'm afraid I can't."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien tried not to show his disappointment. "I understand."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know that your friends have been preparing for it. Are you having trouble with your preparations? It's possible someone can help you," suggested Caline.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Juleka's brother is helping me, but because of my schedule, we can't meet up during lunch or after school. I would ask everyone else for help this time, but I can't. If I did, they would tell Marinette and the surprise would be ruined."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I see. Your present is for Marinette?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah…. I want to let her know that she's not alone and has people who she can count on. I'm writing something for her."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The teacher smiled widely. "That's thoughtful of you. Have you thought about giving it to her at the picnic instead of the concert?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ms. Bustier wasn't one to try and force her students to change their plans, but as an educator she could give suggestions for her students to think of other solutions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The picnic?" asked Adrien confused. He knew he'd need instruments to perform. He wasn't confident in performing with just his voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you were working on something that took place during the picnic, I would be able to allow you to work on it during class time."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Um, I think I can change part of it so it can happen during the picnic. But I would need to go to the music room," explained the teenager. "Since it's music related, it would help having access to the instruments and music sheets."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's alright with me, just make sure to come back a few minutes before class ends to make sure you don't miss the announcements."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A huge smile broke out onto Adrien’s face. "Thanks Ms. Bustier!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're welcome Adrien. I look forward to hearing whatever you're working on."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Chapter 31</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>There's a minor reference to some songs in this chapter. Try and figure it out!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>In addition to giving Adrien the blanket, Marinette decided to give him both a Ladybug and Chat plushie. Fortunately she had the supplies for those and was able to finish them before school on Monday. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As for the blanket itself, she told her parents she was going to be busy during lunch and after school, only to come out of her room for meals and class. If she was going to do this, she wanted it to be as good as possible. It wasn't going to be perfect, but Marinette wanted her present to show how much she cared for her Kitty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In between classes, Plagg and Tikki met up in Adrien's backpack to discuss the developments.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette’s making a blanket and I think Adrien's going to like that it has hints of Chat Noir on it," commented Tikki as she nibbled on her cookie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sounds normal to me. My Kid has decided to do something completely out of character for him," huffed Plagg.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It can't be that bad, Plagg. I'm sure Adrien will be okay."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My Kitten has asked Sass's Snakelet for help to write a song for Ladybug!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?!" Tikki’s antennae couldn't believe what she was hearing. Adrien asked Luka for help to write a song for Marinette?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know. The Kid's finally lost it. He thinks music is what will </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally </span>
  </em>
  <span>convince Pigtails to go out with him." Plagg munched his delicious cheese.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It sounds sweet and romantic. I think Marinette's going to like it. When is he going to give her the music?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He's performing one song at the picnic and another at the concert."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette’s going to be very pink by the end of the day. Oh, I better remind her to pack some tissues for the day," said Tikki.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And food. I have a feeling our humans are going to be all icky and mushy and forget to feed us because they're so- so bleh."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Plagg, they're in love and have been waiting for 2 years. They deserve happiness. The least we can do is give them some privacy so they can express their feelings for one another without you embarrassing them."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You mean so they can kiss for a long time and forget we're stuck in a small place with nothing to keep up entertained at least?" questioned Plagg. "Tell Marinette to make sure to let us go into the Miracle box at least."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You were planning on going in there anyways, weren't you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maybe."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Plagg, you're an annoying Stinky Sock."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I care about you too, Sugarcube."</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>So far the prep work with Luka was going okay. Adrien still felt awkward around the guitarist even though said guitarist was pretty much nonchalant about the situation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Since you have two different ideas, I think you should have two separate songs," said Luka as he looked at the stuff Adrien had written down. "I'm getting the sense that in addition to expressing your love for Marinette, there's a friendship aspect to it?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I guess? Marinette means a lot to a lot of people and I think that given everything that's happened, she has moments where she doubts herself. No one really sees them, but her eyes get dark and she freezes up. Her guard's up and it's like she's not there anymore," explained Adrien. "I'm glad she's still letting me be there for her, but I think she feels alone even though she's not the only one that's been hurt like she has."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I haven't been in Marinette’s position, but I'm familiar with the 'not fitting in' and being called 'weird' part of growing up. It can be difficult trying to adjust to an environment where you're not what people expect. Sometimes there are those that try and stifle creativity."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Which is why a lot of students go to the art room?" asked Adrien as he thought for a moment. A lot of his friends were artists and they could often be found in the art room. "It's a place where it's safe and okay to express your creativity."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah. You don't have to follow this, but maybe instead of just focusing on addressing what you want to tell Marinette, you shift the perspective a bit."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What do you mean, Luka?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can still have Marinette in mind as the one person you want to hear the song, but maybe the message can be more universal in the sense that it'll be something that your friends can relate to."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So it's going back to the art room in a way? Be who you want to be without fear. You don't have to hide."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luka started strumming on his guitar a slow melody. "Exactly. You don't have to remain unseen and ignored."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're not invisible…" Adrien spoke as he began playing on the keyboard.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>For the first time in about two months,  Marinette was left on her own to handle being in class without Adrien. She wasn't freaking out. She felt weird. Ms. Bustier said Adrien had a different assignment to work on which is why he wasn't in class with them when the first bell of the day rang. She could do it. If he was only missing Ms. Bustier's class, she'd see him afterwards. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya's voice caught the designer's attention. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"With Adrien not being in class right now, do you want someone to sit with you?" asked the reporter as she pushed back some of her hair behind her ear. "Nino said he's fine sitting with one of the guys in the back today."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette felt a small pat through her purse. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Tikki’s trying to encourage me to open up to Alya probably. I'm talking to her so that's a start I guess.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Um, uh sure," she replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Ladyblogger set her stuff down. She wasn't sure what to say. What does one say to a (former?) best friend who you were estranged with? Was it possible to make amends?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alright everyone, since next is the last week, we're done with the required material for the year," announced Ms. Bustier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Loud cheering filled the room for several seconds in celebration.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"However, that doesn't mean you stop learning. Seeing as you are all about to start lycée and continue growing as not just students, but as individuals as well, I want to take this week as an opportunity for you to continue reflecting on your growth," continued the teacher amidst her students' groans. "It's not going to be anything philosophical I assure you. Think about the things you wish you knew or the things you wish you had said while in collège. It doesn't have to just be anything you regret. It can be something you wish you tried or something you didn't know but would have wanted your younger self to know.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then write it down in a way you feel comfortable with. It doesn't have to be an essay. It can be a poem, a song, an acrostic, or even a letter. I want it written in words on a paper in some shape. You don't have to mention a specific event or person. You can be open ended with it. You don't have to share it with the class, but you can share it with someone you trust or someone you want to hear what you have to say. You can take this time to put into words things you wish you had the courage to say out loud. Because this is more of a personal reflection, I won't read them out loud to everyone. However, I will pass around at some point to see that you are at least </span>
  <em>
    <span>trying </span>
  </em>
  <span>to write. You can get started."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ms. Bustier returned to her desk and left the students to begin their assignment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chatter broke out amongst some, but it wasn't their usual loud noise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette wasn't sure if she'd be able to stop writing. She wrote in her diary frequently. How was this different? What would she tell her younger self? What would she tell everyone in class?</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>If you could see the other side of me, you'd realize that even if you think I'm just like everybody else, you can't tell that I'm not like any other teen. There's secrets I can never tell. There are things only a few know. I'm not sure where this is going, or why I'm writing all of this down, but I guess it's because I've been struggling with what to say out loud.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I'm trying to find myself again. With so many changes happening, I just don't know who I really am or how it's going to be. Who will I be is up to me and depends a lot on how I treat and take care of myself right now. If I could take it all back I would now. I never meant to let you all down. Right now I have to try and turn things around for myself. I know the way I've been treating you all hasn't been the best, but it's all I can do right now so I won't run away. Part of me misses everyone, but I'm also scared. I'm scared that I'm going to get hurt again. I'm scared that I won't be able to trust anyone other than my family. The way you treated me hurt. Everything during that time hurt so much that I was almost akumatized three times. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I'm not sure if there are the right words to describe what I feel. It's a mix of both good and bad. In a way I'm stuck battling my own internal akumas now. Some days it's easy to ignore them. Some days it's not. I'm learning how to handle all the fear and anxiety I have, but as I said before, it's going to take time for me to be able to trust you all, if I do.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Most of us are still going to end up at the same school for another three years. Even if we aren't the closest of friends, as classmates I want things to be okay between us. Back in New York, I was under a lot of pressure due to some things that happened. I reached a point where I was fed up with everything and was scared. I was really scared, so I ran because that's all I could think of at that moment. The things I said before I left, I could've said them differently, but it also felt like it was the only time you all actually tried to listen to me. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I don't want to make promises that I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep. I don't want to get everyone's hopes up. I can't promise that we'll be best friends, but I do promise to try and get better and so that I can talk with you all soon. As mad as I have been, I do miss sharing things with you all. A part of me will hold onto the good things that have happened. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Over the last two years I became more confident in myself. I've been able to help with different things and have learned what being a leader is. A leader knows when to ask for help and when to step down. I can bet that you all didn't officially decide on Alya taking on the role of class rep while in my absence. She's probably the one that has been leading everything as all of you hoped that I would return quickly. And even if that weren't the case, I can guess by now that you all still haven't given up on me. I can be pretty stubborn and adamant I admit, but not as much as you all.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Nino, thank you for always supporting me even when we were kids. Your music will always be awesome! </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Rose and Juleka, thank you for showing me that being yourselves is all one needs to be happy. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Nathaniel, you remind me that there's a lot to be said through our art. No matter what medium it comes in, we each have a message we can share with the world.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kim, Alix, You're both passionate about what you do and what you love. Your bets against one another have certainly brought me a lot of funny memories. Use that energy to drive you forward towards your goals. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Max, you creating Markov is surely something many of us won't forget. You've shown me that technology can be innovative and fun. I know your inventions are going to help change the world for the better.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ivan, Mylène, you and your relationship give me hope. It gives me hope that love can win over hate. Whether it's the love between partners, friends or family, or just yourself, you can never go wrong with loving someone and showing how much you care for them.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Sabrina, you're one of the most loyal people I've met and know. Never doubt your abilities and what you can do. Sometimes it takes time for those around us to learn to appreciate what we bring into their lives.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Chloé, I know we haven't always seen eye to eye, but you've taught me that we all can change. Sometimes it comes when we least expect it, but it isn't too late to grow and learn from our mistakes. Who you are is not what you did. You can be a hero in your own way with or without superpowers. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Alya, thank you for teaching me how to stand up against people that hurt others. Your confidence inspired me in more ways than I can explain. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Adrien, you already heard me tell you how much you mean to me and how you've changed me. I won't ever stop reminding you, and I'm sure everyone else will keep telling you, you're a good friend. You're just a friend that many of us can count on to make us laugh and who will try his best to help… even if you have some things to learn about being a normal kid. Thank you for teaching me to always look for the best in people and to never give up.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ms. Bustier, thank you for kindness, support and patience all these years. You have been one of my favorite teachers during my entire time as a student. Your selflessness and dedication is something we admire. You do whatever you can to protect us and support us. Your son or daughter will have the best mother in the world.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>A few tears fell onto the paper as Marinette stood up abruptly. "I-I need to go to the restroom." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ran out of the classroom before anyone could ask what happened. Her backpack had stayed behind, alongside her sketchbook.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I didn't say anything to her," said Alya before anyone could question her. "I saw that she was super focused on her writing and didn't want to disturb her."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ms. Bustier approached Marinette’s seat and picked up the assignment that had been left behind. "I know you must all be worried, but Marinette does need some space. I'll give her a few minutes before going down to see her. You don't want to overwhelm her more than she probably already is so no rushing to the restroom, girls. If you must, everyone can wait here or in the locker room."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A round of "Yes, Ms. Bustier" echoed throughout the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The French and literature teacher glanced over what her student had written. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She wants to talk to them, but is scared of what they'll say… </span>
  </em>
  <span>Folding the assignment, she placed it in her jacket pocket.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Adrien was surprised at how quickly he had been able to put together the lyrics. Now it was just a matter of creating the music for it. He and Luka had been trying to work with the piano medley Adrien had stuck in his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not much, but I think it fits this song," commented the guitarist as they came out of the music room. "We just need to find where the music fits with the lyrics and then we can work to build the song around it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Cool. See you tomorrow," the blonde said as he made his way towards the stairs. However, he stopped in his track as he saw his entire class head into the locker room in a hurry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catching up with Nino, Adrien inquired about the unusual activity. "Hey Nino, what's going on?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uh, hey dude. Ms. Bustier's checking up on Marinette," replied the DJ.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Did something happen?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not that we know of. We were just doing our work and then out of nowhere Marinette just up and left. She said something about going to the restroom. Ms. Bustier said we could wait in the locker room."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh." Adrien wondered what happened. From what Nino described, it didn't sound like it was a normal trip to the restroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I better go hang with Alya. She's probably worried she did something wrong even though it's not her fault."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien put his stuff away and sat on the bench unsure of what to do.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Chapter 32</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tw: There's a panic attack in this chapter</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>In the girls restroom, Marinette was trying to fight off the fear in her stomach. Nothing had happened in class for her to be nervous about. No one said anything for her to worry about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The only thing she did was write and follow directions. That was the cause wasn't it? It's stupid to think writing would cause an episode. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It wasn't the action of writing… You know that. You're just trying to excuse it… If they read what you wrote… They're only pretending to be sorry… They miss relying on you… Adrien only cares about Ladybug and about no longer being controlled by his dad… You're just a tool to him. To all of them…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I'm not. I'm not...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Sliding down the wall, she curled into a ball, resting her forehead on her knees. "J-Just focus on your breathing. One breath in. One breath out. Just like you've been learning," Marinette told herself as she inhaled through her nose and exhaled out through her mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could feel Tikki nuzzling her neck as the tears fell. She had been making progress. Why did this have to happen now?!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette?" she heard a soft and kind voice call out. The footsteps stopped nearby but not right next to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Y-Yes?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's Ms. Bustier. I came to check up on you. Is there anything I can do to help you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm- I'm trying to stay calm right now. I feel scared but for no reason. I-I know I'm safe, but- but writing- I'm not sure what happened." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"For now, can you take one deep breath in and then describe one thing you can feel with your hands. You can take your time," instructed the teacher.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she breathed in and out, Marinette tried to focus on her sense of touch. What textures could she feel? "Th-There's my capris. They- The fabric isn't rough, but it's- it's not really soft either. And I know they're pink."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How about sounds? What do you hear?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm in the restroom so- so there's a bit of an echo. There's- There's the water dripping from the sinks. And- And I can hear voices. They're in the locker room?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's right. What about smells? Does any smell stand out to you right now?" continued Ms. Bustier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tikki didn't have a scent to her, but because she was always eating her family's pastries, she smelled like the food. "Um, I can smell my home. I can smell my Maman's and Papa's baking. I have cookies in my purse."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How do you feel now?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl took a moment to assess how she felt physically and emotionally. She wasn't crying anymore. That's good. The knot in her stomach was still there. At least she didn't feel like throwing up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I- I'm- It's not as bad as before, but I still want to hide."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why do you want to hide, Marinette?" asked the pregnant woman.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't know," replied Marinette as she shook her head. "I know that my classmates are trying to make up for how much they hurt me, but- but they won't believe me if I tell them how I feel. They've probably already read what I wrote and are trying to figure out why I would say those things after how I treated them."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The teacher paused before responding to her student's doubts. Caline hated seeing her students hurt. She always tried to support and care for them as if they were her own children, even the ones that had grown up in more difficult settings at home. She knew Marinette was a bright, passionate and determined student. No matter what the girl set her mind to, she was dependable and reliable. Having heard what happened in New York had devastated the literature teacher. While Marinette was out, Caline had become the school contact between Marinette’s parents and the school as she was the homeroom teacher. Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng were the kind of parents she wished some of her other students had- interested and invested in their child's education. So when Marinette’s diagnosis had been brought up, she worked alongside Marinette’s parents to figure out how she could best support her student. Whether the young girl had realized it or not, Caline was doing what she could to help her student regain her confidence. The self-reflection assignments were her way of letting the students come to their own conclusions about how they had grown and changed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I picked up your assignment before any of your classmates read it. They don't know what it says."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And if they find out?" questioned Marinette. "As much as I want to thank them, I can't say it. The thought of it makes my stomach hurt and it also makes my throat dry."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"With your permission, and only if you say yes, I can read what you wrote to the class," suggested Caline. "You don't have to be in the classroom when it happens. I don't want you to feel like you have to do it. I'm not going to force you to do something that could make you feel unsafe or uncomfortable."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I hate that I keep getting scared and doubting myself. I know I can be better and not let this from taking over my life, but just when I think I've made progress, I do something that triggers the episode and I fall and then it's hard to get out of the hole I've dug myself into," sobbed Marinette as she tried to curl into a smaller ball. "I hate it. I hate that I'm not as strong as I was before. I hate that Lila had to come. I hate that everyone fell for her stupid lies. I hate that because of her, I lost my friends, I hate being able to trust anyone and I hate that I can't be myself anymore!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She continued, but her voice began to rise a bit with each sentence she spoke. "Why did Lila have to come? Sure, I would still be nervous around Adrien. Sure, I would still be having to put up with all my responsibilities. Sure, I would have to put up with Chloé and Hawk Moth and the akumas, but at least I would be sure of myself. I wouldn't be going crazy. I would still have my old life. I would be as happy and as safe as I could be. I would still have friends that cared for me and that didn't say I was lying out of jealousy. I wouldn't be like this. I wish that liar had never taken the book from Adrien. I wish she had left me alone. I wish she'd never shown up!"</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>13 heads had been waiting quietly when they heard the screaming and the sobbing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What's wrong with Marinette?" asked Alya as she looked over to Adrien who was on high alert.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Someone needs to call Marinette’s parents and let them know she's not doing well. They'll know what that means." The superhero's reflexes had kicked in but he knew he couldn't just transform. "As weird as it sounds, I'm going to the girls restroom."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Dude, why go in there?" asked Kim.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Obviously, he knows what's going on with Marinette and he's the only one aside from Ms. Bustier who can help," said Alya.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah…" said the blond. "I know it's a lot to take in, but it should be over soon. I think everyone should wait out in the courtyard. We all want to help her, but she's said it before, she wants to be able to trust you on her own terms. If Marinette knows you all are in here and heard her, it may make things worse. She's going to try and hide what she's feeling and no one should push her to talk about it. Please, trust me on this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you're sure, Adrien," said Alya as she got up to leave quietly. "If you can, let her know nothing was her fault. I don't know if she believes us yet, but we really are sorry about what happened."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll see what I can do."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the rest of the class followed suit, Adrien knocked on the door of the girls restroom. "Ms. Bustier?"</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Marinette had gone quiet after her outburst, but she was still crying. She was waiting for an akuma to come any moment. Such a strong, negative emotion surely would draw Hawk Moth's attention wouldn't it?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She heard her Kitty's voice. Her head looked up towards the door. Adrien was here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, Adrien?" she heard Ms. Bustier call out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can I come in?" she heard Adrien ask. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette," asked the teacher. "Can Adrien come in?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien was here. She'd be okay. Maman and Papa would be coming soon then. Unable to say anything, Marinette nodded her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can come in, Adrien."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She heard his quiet footsteps before she saw him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn't look scared, but she knew he was worried. Of course he was, he'd been with her every week for the last two years. They knew how to read each other's faces without having to say a word.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sat near her, but not a moment later he heard "I'm sorry" over and over as she hugged him for support.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not going anywhere My Lady," he whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette wished she could stop crying just as easily as she could defeat akumas. She would rather be facing off an actual akuma than deal with the stuff in her head. She felt weak whenever she ended up crying on Adrien’s shoulders and yet it was one of the few things that would help her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Had she really become a damsel-in-distress?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It sure felt like it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry you have to see me like this. I hate it. It's annoying and I wish it would go away. But it's not. It's never going to go away. My brain's weird," she mumbled as she tried to focus. Her breathing was rapid but not too shallow. She wasn't shaking but she definitely didn't want to move much. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That brain of yours comes up with the best ideas," said Adrien, smiling a little bit. "It helps find ways to help everyone you care about… and you're pawsitively smart."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The pun was just enough to distract Marinette’s thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I hate your puns," she sniffled. "Why do you say them when you know they're horrible?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because you know deep inside that you a-purr-eciate them… and they make me your purrfect partner."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why do I put up with them?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because you're felines fur mew are strong," punned Adrien again as he kissed the top of Marinette’s head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the model helped the aspiring designer, Ms. Bustier stepped away to give them privacy, but close enough where she could still see them in case something happened. Quickly, she called the Dupain-Cheng bakery to explain the situation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As much as she wanted to go and update the rest of her students, she would have to trust that they would continue on with the rest of their classes until she saw them for French class later... </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Whenever Marinette had these attacks, she was unsure of how long they occurred for. All she knew was that afterwards, her body was exhausted in the days that followed. It never got any easier and she wished she could just make them go away. Adrien certainly made a good pillow…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hm?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know you're probably tired, but we should probably get off the floor first. Then you can rest once you're in the nurse's office or at your house," commented Adrien as he felt Marinette snuggle him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine," muttered Marinette as she got up. "Whoa." So maybe she had gotten up a bit too fast and her head spun. She steadied herself for a moment as Adrien got up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ms. Bustier?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, Adrien?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think we're in the clear now."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you for helping, Adrien. Marinette, one of your parents should be arriving any minute," informed their teacher.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ms. Bustier?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, Marinette?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you." The bluebell-eyed girl walked over and briefly hugged her teacher.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're welcome, Marinette."</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>The young designer didn't expect to see her classmates waiting in the courtyard. Adrien was just glad no one had jumped to start asking questions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Everyone, class will be ending soon," said Ms. Bustier. "I want you to finish the assignment and turn it in no later than Wednesday."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette had finished her assignment, yet she still felt awkward about what happened. She knew she needed to take some things at her pace, but there was only so much she could do before getting restless. Sometimes the best way to face a conflict was head on. Her head wasn't in the right mindset at the moment to think about the details even though it was trying to protect her. Her instincts no longer screamed "run," it screamed "fight back!" Ladybug was gone for the time being. Lady Noire was needed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can read it to them, Ms. Bustier," stated Marinette. "I- I know I won't be in class later, but even if I were there, I don't think I'd be able to say it out loud myself."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you for trusting me Marinette."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>12 students remained confused as to what was going on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ms. Bustier, what do we do now?" asked Alix. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let's take a moment to refocus. Everyone spread out to give each other some space," explained Caline. "Now close your eyes and move your shoulders up to your ears, scrunching them together as you inhale. Hold it there for a few seconds… Now drop them and exhale loudly. Do that a few times to shake off any tension you may feel on your shoulders."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The class followed the instructions. It didn't really explain what happened with Marinette, but the exercise did help get rid of the tension in the group.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How does everyone feel now?" asked the instructor as she looked at her students.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Murmurs of "ok" and "fine" answered back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry for making everyone worry," blurted out Marinette. "I- I'm trying- I- My brain's way of thinking has changed because of what's happened and so I'm more nervous than before. It's- It's not going to go away. Ever. I can do things to keep the nervousness away or under control, but yeah, it'll be with me forever."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So you're not okay?" asked Rose with worry in her voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not. Well I am. Sort of? I'm not sure how to explain it without going into the full details of it," confessed Marinette.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nino chimed in. "No need to tell us if you don't want to, dudette."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But I want to. Part of me… Part of me needs to do this for myself."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You mentioned being nervous all the time. Does it have to do with that?" inquired Mylène.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette nodded her head. "I guess the better way to explain it is that it's not just nervousness. It's anxiety. I'm in a constant state of worry and sometimes I can't seem to stop it. Some days it's easy to manage and some days it's not. I'm learning how to handle it, but I sort of end up panicking sometimes. Ms. Bustier was trying to help calm me down earlier. I'm not- I'm not losing my mind. It's just that my brain works differently."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Whether you have anxiety or something else, we don't think you're losing your mind," said Alya. The reporter's glasses were off as she wiped some tears away. "We just miss you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I- I miss you all too…" trailed off Marinette. The unspoken </span>
  <em>
    <span>but…</span>
  </em>
  <span> lingered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With her confession out in the open, a part of Marinette felt exposed, a part felt vulnerable and yet… She felt relief? Is that what she was yearning for?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Relief that once she admitted to missing her classmates, that she wouldn't feel so much heartache?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Please tell us we can hug you?" blurted out Rose. She looked like she wanted to both cry and celebrate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette was at a loss for words as she looked up at her classmates. Some of them had neutral faces, but some, there was hope. Hope she had seen time and time again whenever she made progress to repair their relationship. They were waiting for a second chance. If she gave Adrien a chance to fix his mistakes, and she herself was given one to start over, who was she to deprive her friends of that opportunity to make amends?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"O-Okay," she managed to say as she closed her eyes, bracing herself for the suffocation that was to ensue from being in a giant pile.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Chapter 33</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>We have about 1 week of chapters left</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Marinette was probably cutting it extremely close by adding to the designs she was finishing. She had the outfits for Kitty Section, Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale ready. </p><p>After making amends with her classmates, she ended up deciding to make t-shirts for the entire class. She wouldn't have time to make them all by hand, but she ended up making designs for everyone. Having colored them digitally, she ended up with ironing on the designs with iron-on transfer paper.</p><p>The concert was less than 3 days away and she hadn't really left her room. Her parents and the kwamis, whom she brought out a few at a time to help her, had to force her to eat. If anyone saw her, they'd insist that she slow down.</p><p>But she couldn't. Not when she had the final pieces to put together for her presents.</p><p>For the classmates that had been miraculous holders, there was a very small footprint or head incorporated into their shirt design referencing the animal their kwami took the form of. Chloé's was probably the trickiest because she had to make the design be top quality whilst also keeping the design elegant without being too flashy. For the classmates that weren't wielders of a miraculous, she incorporated a kwami into their designs basing them off of what she thought would best fit them. </p><p>Now she just had to wrap them and figure out how to carry them all.</p><hr/><p>Adrien had practiced playing at home, but even with Luka helping him figure out the pitch and melody, the model was unsure of how he was going to perform the first piece at the picnic. It's not like he could just take a keyboard and ask for back up…</p><p>Nope. That would be too much work. Rose and Juleka would tell Alya.</p><p>He could play the music from his phone, but it's not like it would be the best quality…</p><p>Pausing his practice, Adrien video called Nino.</p><p>"What's up dude?" asked the DJ as he appeared on screen.</p><p>"Nino, if I sent you sheet music, do you think you'd be able to put together a track?"</p><p>"Uh, yeah. It'd depend on the instruments though," replied Nino with a questioning look on his face. "Why? Are you working on something?"</p><p>"Maybe… I know that some of the music is bass and electric guitar heavy, but do you think you can make the track have more of an acoustic sound to it?"</p><p>"I can try, but I can't guarantee anything."</p><p>"Whatever you can do, I'm not picky. I just don't want it to sound like a rock song," said Adrien.</p><p>"So you want something more soft like a ballad?"</p><p>"I think so. I trust you'll find the right mix. Um, can you not tell Alya about this? I don't want her getting any ideas," confessed Adrien.</p><p>"Sure. When do you need this by?"</p><p>"Think you can get it ready by tomorrow night?" </p><p>"Adrien, that's, like, <em> super duper </em> fast. We still have school and I have to sleep," said Nino with worry. </p><p>"Ms. Bustier will let you skip her classes. I'll let her know you're working with me."</p><p>"Dude, what about Alya?"</p><p>"She won't find out."</p><p>"You know Al's a reporter. She's going to find a way to try and get information."</p><p>"Not if Ms. Bustier prevents her from leaving class."</p><p>Nino pointed out matter-of-factly. "She can just lie and say she needs to go to the restroom."</p><p>"Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng can let us hang out at their place. Marinette’s probably going to be in her room doing class. Her parents said she was working on stuff and only goes downstairs for meals."</p><p>"And when I don't show up for class? Alya will know something's up."</p><p>"Go to class and then wait for Ms. Bustier to let you leave," said Adrien. "Alya can't follow you out. Ms. Bustier will know so you can just say you'll be in the library," suggested the blond.</p><p>"If you think it'll work."</p><p>"I need you, Nino. You're the only one who can do this," pleaded Adrien. "You and Alya can be the godparents of my kids." </p><p>"Uh, thanks for the confidence bro, but I don't need you promising me your and Marinette’s kids. It'll only fuel Alya's shipping heart."</p><hr/><p>With Nino working on editing the first song, Adrien sat at the kitchen of the Dupain-Cheng household as he tried to learn the lyrics he had finished writing for the second song. What made this one nerve-wracking was what he planned on doing…</p><p>He was going to perform it at the concert. His father expected Adrien to host and hang out backstage like the good son he was. Gabriel wouldn't expect to see his son perform, let alone a song the boy wrote. Even if she still said it wasn't the right time to start a relationship, as long as this made Marinette smile and happy, Adrien would be content.</p><p>Marinette’s voice broke Adrien from his reverie. "Nino? What are you doing here?" </p><p>"Oh! Uh, hey Marinette. Just helping Adrien with something…" responded the DJ as he glanced across the room towards the model.</p><p>"What are you working on?"</p><p>"Just stuff for the concert, Mari," said Adrien as he flipped the lyrics so Marinette wouldn't see them as she came into the kitchen. "Is class over already?"</p><p>Marinette couldn't help but get suspicious.  "No… But Ms. Bustier suggested a quick break so I came to get a drink of water. Now I'm not so sure it was to get a break…"</p><p>Uh oh… Adrien felt like he was being interrogated. He may not be transformed, but the Kitty didn't want to annoy his Lady. "Ms. Bustier gave Nino permission! And besides, it's not like he'd be able to stay in the library without Alya using the restroom excuse to try and sneak around for information. This is <em> really, really </em>important M'L- Mar. Please!" Meowch, he almost called her M'Lady!</p><p>He just lost all 9 of his lives didn't he?</p><p>The facial expression and the way Marinette held herself signaled she was about to go full Ladybug on her partner. This was one reason she didn't want to reveal her identity to Chat. She didn't want to risk them saying something that would risk exposing their identities. Nicknames were on that list.</p><p>By now, Nino's attention had been diverted to the non-"couple" behind him. He knew Alya would probably have his shell when she found out about him helping Adrien, but maybe he could make it up to her?</p><p>The boy with the glasses took out his phone to call his girlfriend to show her their friends. For 2 people who said that they <em> weren't </em>together, they sure were acting like a couple. </p><p>"Why not go to the bakery? Or a café?" asked Marinette.</p><p>"Do you want me to lose one of my 9 lives?!"</p><p>"That's a- You know what? It's not time to be joking around," said Marinette with her arms crossed and her hip sticking out to one side. </p><p>Adrien couldn't help but smile. Marinette was very much just being herself, but he was getting to see some of the sass that made him fall for her. "You mean it's not the time to be <em> kitten </em> around? I know you avoided using the word because of mew. Fur real, it's not that hard to say it."</p><p>Marinette was getting annoyed. Why did Adrien have to make puns <em> now </em> of all times? And did it have to be the cat ones?</p><p>"I don't have time for your smelly cheesiness." She was having to control herself because she very much wanted to say 'Kitty', but that would be too many questions that she couldn't answer. "Just- Just go back to whatever you were doing, Adrien." </p><p>She tried to walk to the sink, but Adrien held onto her hand, and being Marinette, she managed to trip over her own feet. Before she could hit the floor, Adrien managed to pull her into a dip, before standing up straight. </p><p>Be it second nature, or her superhero reflexes, the teenage girl rested her hands on Adrien’s chest as the boy steadied her.</p><p>"You okay Mari?" asked Adrien. He wasn't worried, but it was a force of habit now, especially since he knew her alter ego.</p><p>"Y-Yeah. I just- You know, clumsy old me."</p><p>"WHY DO YOU THIS TO US?!" interrupted Adrien before he could respond. "HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO WAIT?!"</p><p>A sheepish looking Nino blushed from embarrassment. "Alya, you kind of ruined the moment."</p><p>"Alya?!" Marinette yelled as she looked over to Nino, who still held his phone up. "You- You both saw-"</p><p>"More like the entire class!" Alix could be heard saying.</p><p>Marinette broke free from Adrien's hold, quickly gathered her glass of water and marched upstairs without a word to either boy or to the others who were on the video call. She had to fight the annoyed feelings that were bubbling.</p><p>"Should one of you go check up on her?" asked Rose.</p><p>"Not me," commented Nino. "She looked like she was going to kill us. I've never seen her like that."</p><p>Adrien knew he'd have to do damage control or else there was the risk of an akumatized Ladybug. "I think I have an idea of what's going on. Maybe you should go back to school Nino. I'll be there before class ends."</p><p>"Sure. I didn't mean to hurt Marinette, dude."</p><p>"I know you didn't. I don't think she was hurt. Maybe just annoyed at Alya's outburst."</p><p>"Hey! Why am I to blame?" wondered the Ladyblogger. </p><p>"You ruined the moment Al. Marinette hadn't noticed until you spoke," pointed out Nino.</p><p>"You're the one who video chatted," countered Alya.</p><p>"I figured you might enjoy the moment."</p><p>"How about no more streaming us?" interjected Adrien. He was wasting time trying to break up the argument between his best friend and his girlfriend.</p><p>"Sure," said Nino.</p><p>"Do I have to?" asked Alya. "I need material for your wedding."</p><p>"There won't be a wedding or you won't be invited to it if does ha- What am I even saying?" said Adrien exasperated. "Look, I know you guys care about Marinette, and our happiness, but this isn't going to help either of us. Maybe lay off for a while? I get the feeling she doesn't want to be treated like she's a form of entertainment." </p><p>Adrien could hear some groaning coming from multiple people in class.</p><p><em> "I miss Operation Golden Lotus already," </em>said Rose.</p><p><em> "That was </em> one <em> time," </em>mumbled Alix.</p><p><em> "She turned down the car ride, remember?" </em>reiterated Mylène.</p><p>Juleka also chimed in. <em> "She was so selfless though." </em></p><p><em> "She's always selfless," </em>added Nathaniel.</p><p><em> "At least we don't have to worry about her forgetting to sign the cards…" </em>said Alix with a hint of laughter.</p><p><em> "How much do you want to bet she's still going to forget to sign them?" </em> replied Kim.</p><p>
  <em> "You're on!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "I will get started on finding the probability of-" </em>
</p><p>Adrien couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Uh…"</p><p>Nino ended the video call. "I'll head back and tell them you're thinking about changing schools."</p><p>"Nino, I'm not <em> that </em> upset," said Adrien. Sure, he was annoyed, but he didn't hate his friends.</p><p>"You have a hard time saying what you feel bro. Just like how Marinette can't say 'no,'" pointed out the DJ.</p><p>"I don't! I just prefer to stay quiet. I don't want to sound rude." He was raised to be polite and proper, not to be himself.</p><p>"Dude, everyone knows that Marinette's the only one that can read your face without you having said anything. We don't know how she does it, but it's like you two can silently communicate or something."</p><p>"I've spent a lot of time with her these last months…?" Adrien wasn't going to admit that, yes, even though Marinette had observed him (a lot) these last 2 years, they had been spending time with each other as superheroes. Obviously they knew each other well now.</p><p>"But not on the weekends. We're all wondering what you guys' trick is?"</p><p>"I don't think we really have one, It's…," Adrien trailed off. "I guess we've just gotten to know each other well."</p><p>"It's like a superpower or something."</p><p>"Whatever you guys think."</p><p>"See ya later, dude," said Nino as he headed towards the door.</p><p>"Bye, Nino." Adrien waved to his best friend.</p><hr/><p>She shouldn't be upset. Alya didn't really do anything wrong per se. She was just reacting to what she saw. </p><p>But she wouldn't have seen it if Nino hadn't video chatted with the class. Did they have to keep being nosy?</p><p>She was so caught up in her thoughts and in finishing the details on the outfits that she hadn't looked up from her desk until she felt a kiss atop her head. "Huh?"</p><p>"You're doing class?"</p><p>When did Adrien arrive? Looks like she had forgotten to lock the door. Unless Tikki or Plagg unlocked it for Adrien…</p><p>"I- I wouldn't be able to focus on the discussion. It's not like Ms. Bustier would mind me working on the stuff for the picnic and the concert," replied Marinette as she continued working. "I'm just finishing packing stuff."</p><p>"How much do you have left?" inquired Adrien as he sat on the chaise. Small bags were scattered around the room with tissue paper sticking out.</p><p>"A few more, but I'm not sure if I'm going to take them on Friday to the picnic."</p><p>"You're planning on taking these bags? What for?"</p><p>The young designer huffed in annoyance as she remembered why she originally had made the stuff. "They're presents for everyone, but with what happened earlier…"</p><p>"They're our friends, Marinette. From what everyone's told me, they've been invested in our relationship for a while."</p><p>"2 years. Bets placed. Me forgetting or not being able to sign the cards. Pressure to make me confess when I wasn't ready. Them not trusting me or believing me and saying I was doing things just out of jealousy," rambled Marinette as she plopped herself onto the chaise next to him. "Sure, I was jealous, but I didn't lie about Lila because she gave you her attention! And I didn't get in the way of you dating Kagami even though it hurt a lot."</p><p>"I thought you had gotten mad because of Lila?" asked the blonde in confusion. "This sounds like you're mad at them because of several things…"</p><p>"I'm not mad! I just don't get why they can't leave me alone! I know they're happy that I'm talking to them again, but that doesn't mean that they can just start jumping into my personal life again."</p><p>"Have you tried telling them?"</p><p>"I've asked in the past, but it usually takes several reminders. The girls were persistent. The guys didn't really get involved."</p><p>"You should-" the model stopped himself to reconsider his words. He was going to suggest that Marinette let the girls be there for her, but that would sound like the time he told her to take the high road. "Why not try asking them for space?"</p><p>"They mean well," said the bluebell-eyed girl as she lied down, resting her head on Adrien’s lap. "But it's <em> Alya </em>. The others will listen. But Alya? She's not going to let go of this so easily. Ladybug has to deal with the rumors Alya posts on the Ladyblog. I don't need anymore reasons to push her into investigating both parts of my life. I need privacy."</p><p>“You should talk to her then. You don’t tend to hide how you’re feeling very well…”</p><p>“I can try but that doesn’t mean she’ll agree.”</p><p>“If she doesn’t want to try and listen, no one will blame you if you decide not to be friends with her.”</p><p>“But what if she gets akumatized?!” exclaimed the teenage girl as she sat up. Worry filled her face as she bit her lower lip.</p><p>Adrien tried to reassure his partner. “You shouldn’t have to feel guilty.”</p><p>“Even if it was an accident, I’m going to feel guilty. I have no clue what happened with Chat Blanc and yet that still haunts me. All it took was me signing that card.”</p><p>The teenage blond hugged the girl. “As much as I would’ve liked to know it was you, we have to trust Bunnyx’s judgement on that call. So far we’re okay. Nothing’s happened. If something does come up, we’ll find out what we need to fix. Do you want me to talk to Alya?”</p><p>Marinette shook her head. “No. I’ll just send her a text later. It’ll be easier that way. Then I can’t stumble over my words.”</p><p>“If you do need help, just let me know.”</p><p>“I will.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Chapter 34</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Marinette spent the rest of her morning working on putting the bags together as she had the class lectures playing in the background. At lunchtime, she received a message from Alya:</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hey! Adrien said you needed to talk. Everything ok?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The designer had calmed down and was no longer annoyed at her friend, but was still worried about how her request would affect their renewed friendship.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m doing better</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya: </span>
  <em>
    <span>That’s great!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Sorry if I seemed off this morning.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Adrien said something about no more streaming? He wasn’t too clear about it when he came back to school.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He was just trying to help. I appreciate you and the girls’ wanting to still help me with Adrien, but I think I’m at a point where I don’t need a push.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Are you still trying to get your confidence back?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Sort of. But I mean that I don’t need a push to be able to talk to Adrien or do things with him anymore. I’ve had so much attention on me because of my crush on him… I need things to go quiet again and would prefer some privacy. I know how much it means to everyone that Adrien and I are talking, but if I ever do get the courage to give him a chance, I don’t want to feel pressured with everyone staring. I know you all well enough to know that there are probably bets of what’ll happen at the picnic. Nothing huge is going to happen. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya: </span>
  <em>
    <span>We just want our ship to sail. You’re so close!!!!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I know, but Adrien and I have already set our boundaries. He’s willing to wait as long as it takes.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya: </span>
  <em>
    <span>How is that boy so patient even though he was so oblivious to what was under his nose for so long?!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya sent Marinette a photo of Adrien looking over at Marinette with lots of longing in his eyes while in class. To a regular person, it would be obvious Adrien had feelings for Marinette, but for one girl, the look said more. The young designer blushed even though she was the only one looking at the photo. Tikki had decided to spend time in the Miracle Box with her fellow kwamis and hadn’t come out all morning.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Where did you get that?!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya: </span>
  <em>
    <span>I took it not too long ago when you started coming to class more often. Adrien asked us to try and take more photos of you while in class so you’d have some from the end of your time in collège. I have no idea what he’s hiding, but I can tell you he’s working on something.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m not sure how many photos you’ve taken, but no more photos at the most inconvenient times please? I don’t want to be startled by hearing a camera click. And if I need any help with Adrien, I’ll let you know. Photos of us hanging out and having fun are okay, but if it's something I'm going to be embarrassed about, nope.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Really? The girls and I were hoping we’d be able to help you when you finally let Adrien ask you out properly. Do you know how much it hurts to see the poor Sunshine Boy yearn to ask you out?! You’re killing us from suspense Mari.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t you think I’m aware of that?! I feel like I’m just leading Adrien on sometimes. And it hurts me seeing him like that, but he’s not going to push me to enter into a relationship when I still have to work on myself first. I know you all think he’s a lovesick puppy. He prefers to be called a lovesick kitten.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya: </span>
  <em>
    <span>I didn’t need to know that, but that may explain why Nino says that Adrien has cat-like tendencies…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Has Adrien purred?!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>If her Kitty purred…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lmao No! Why do you ask? Does he purr when you two hang out?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette could just picture Alya’s smirk and teasing tone. </span>
  <em>
    <span>No! But he really likes cats and considering how sheltered he was before he started school…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya: </span>
  <em>
    <span>That makes sense. Anywho, do you know why Nino was with Adrien today? He was gone before I could get a word out of him in Ms. Bustier’s class this morning.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Recalling that Nino was helping Adrien with some sort of project the reporter wasn’t supposed to know about, Marinette thanked the kwamis that she was not in front of Alya. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>No. All I know is that he’s collaborating with Adrien. Neither of them told me what it was for. Maybe it’s for the concert? With Nino being a DJ, maybe Adrien wants to help Kitty Section so he asked Nino for help?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya: </span>
  <em>
    <span>I guess that could make sense. But why would they not tell us?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe because they know you’ll want all the details?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya: </span>
  <em>
    <span>I'm a reporter. It's my job to gather the facts.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And verify the validity of your information. It’s possible they’re being extra careful for the time being since they may not want to risk ruining whatever their project is.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Touche. I’m gonna go talk to Rose and Juleka and see if they know anything. Syl</span>
  </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>It was later lunch when Marinette received the email from Ms. Buster:</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hello Marinette,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I just wanted to check in to see how you're doing today. After the events from the other day, you said you wanted me to read your assignment out loud to the class. Are you still okay with that or would you prefer that your work remain private? Whatever you decide, I will respect that decision. Please let me know if I can be of any help.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Have a great day,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ms. Bustier</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The pigtailed girl stared at her computer screen for a moment. She had forgotten about the panic attack and the writing. Did she want it out in the open?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wouldn’t hurt her either way. If she said no, her classmates would never hear what she wrote. It’s not like she wrote anything bad about them, In fact, it was the opposite. She wrote the things that they taught her or that she admired about them. It was nerve-wracking to think her words could be out there, but what if she never had a chance to say them? What if she regretted not ever saying them and not letting her friends learn the truth?</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Dear Ms. Bustier,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m doing well today. You can read what I wrote to the class. I hope it cheers them up after everything that’s happened so far.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thank you,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Marinette</span>
  </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Her students were talking excitedly as they came in after their lunch break. Caline heard snippets about what the picnic was going to have. Hearing that Kitty Section was going to have a surprise number in their performance at the Agreste charity concert caught her attention. Alya could be seen asking Ivan, Rose and Juleka for information, but none of the 3 said anything. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please settle down everyone. I have an important matter to discuss,” the redheaded teacher said. “It’s nothing bad. No one’s in trouble.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>”Is it news about your baby?” inquired Rose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but the baby and I are doing well. I have something special I want to read to everyone. I won’t say what it is since it is part of the surprise. I will say that I think many of you will appreciate it,” said Ms. Bustier as she pulled out Marinette’s assignment from her desk. “There’s a message for everyone so I ask that you wait patiently as I read it all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>If you could see the other side of me...” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ms. Bustier began to read.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she read off what Marinette had written, she heard a few sniffles. She paused for a moment to let her students compose themselves. Marinette’s message was honest and from the heart. Yes, it did start with hurt, but it was going to end on a positive note.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ms.- Ms. Bustier?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Alya?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Ladyblogger had taken off her glasses early on and her eyes were red. “I know you won’t confirm it, but I think I can say with certainty that Marinette wrote that didn’t she? We may not have caused her panic attack the other day, but did she worry what we would say?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s something you would have to ask her Alya,” answered the teacher. “She did ask me to read this in hopes that it would cheer you all up. She’s aware of how things have been and I think this is her way of making it up to you all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“O-Okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Caline continued reading and more tears were shed. She wasn’t certain, but it looked like even Chloé was trying to hide her sniffles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she went down the list reading the short messages for each of her students, Caline could hear the murmurs of agreement with Marinette’s comments and the laughter at some of what the class representative had written. The biggest laughter came at the end when she read through Adrien’s part. She had to pause once again to allow her students to recompose themselves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She said you’re just a friend!” hollered Alix as she cackled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien had the look of the hurt kitten down. Part of him was happy that Marinette had included him, but did she have to tease him like that?! “I’m not just a friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a friend with benefits...?” suggested Alya. At this, almost everyone else began to laugh even more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Friends with benefits? What does that mean?” asked Adrien as he looked back towards his classmates.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence followed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cinnamon roll didn’t know what ‘friends with benefits' meant?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nino whispered to his best friend the meaning and the blond boy turned red as Ladybug's suit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alya, please keep that kind of suggestive language outside of the classroom,” reprimanded Ms. Bustier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the students began to quiet down, Ms. Bustier read ahead the last paragraph silently. The teacher cried for a moment before regaining her composure quickly. "That was the end of messages for everyone. How are you all doing?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We've said it before, but we really fuc- fudged up,” Kim corrected himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But she still forgave us and wrote us something kind,” said Mylène.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wish there was something else we could do for Marinette,” commented Sabrina.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We already have the picnic set up for her," said Nathaniel. "I've been working on a special drawing to give to everyone. Could we each do something for her?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Multiple people murmured in agreement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien stared down at his notebook. He knew his friends were trying to help make it up to Marinette, but- "Maybe it's too much," he said suddenly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What do you mean, Adrien?" inquired Alya.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette- She knows how sorry everyone is. If you keep trying to apologize when she's already started to make amends, isn't it going overboard?" As he said this, Adrien was suddenly reminded of Chat Noir and how he tended to push for an answer from Ladybug whenever he confessed his feelings for her. "Too much insistence can also backfire. I've learned the hard way…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you have any suggestions then for the class, Adrien?" said Ms. Bustier as she took chalk and stood by the chalkboard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nothing."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nothing?" echoed the class.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The young model explained. "My idea is for everyone to do nothing. Don't treat Marinette differently just because of what happened the other day. A part of her wants things to go back to normal, so it would make sense for us to go about our day as we usually do. There's only 2 days of school left. We won't be seeing each other every day during the summer and after that, some of us will probably be at different lycées. Marinette’s going to talk to us all when she can. The best thing we can do is just be there for her and when she's ready, she'll let everyone know. Showering her with gifts may be too much."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So would you say to keep things simple?" asked the literature teacher.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"In a way," said Adrien. "Knowing Marinette, she probably already has something up her sleeve."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya giggled a bit in response. "She's probably going to show up with extra pastries, trip and then head back home for the back up ones she made."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There is an extremely high probability of that possibility occurring," added Max as he drew up a list. "What will likely follow is that Marinette will try to apologize multiple times for the food that ended up broken in the boxes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We'll just reassure her it's fine and that things are okay."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What if we do something to distract her?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Distract her?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Help her mind get off of what happened?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We can have a race!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What's the wager this time...?"</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Lying was becoming second nature to Adtien. His kwami didn’t say it, but the model was pretty sure his kwami was proud of him for being more rebellious nowadays. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two days.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two days until the picnic and concert and he was still memorizing the lyrics he helped write and compose. Nino managed to get the track together so Kitty Section could learn it, but it was hard with Rose wanting to call Alya so they could tell Marinette. He felt bad that Rose had to be threatened with not being able to perform at the concert in order to shut her up. But it was necessary. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of the class knew that Adrien was practicing with the band, so they were able to cover him if needed, but no one was allowed near the Couffaines’ houseboat for a good 3 hours while practice was underway. Adrien couldn't risk the song leaking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien wasn’t sure how much time he would have to practice tomorrow. So much depended on getting this performance perfect. If he blew this, no doubt his father would try and restrict his activities. He couldn’t go back to being trapped in a golden cage. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had a house, but not a home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At least not yet. If everything went well, maybe in a few years he and Marinette would-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adrien!” Rose’s screeching into the microphone broke through his thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop thinking about Marinette! We have no time for your daydreaming.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“S-Sorry,” apologized the blond as he shifted his weight a bit before refocusing on the keyboard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll take it from the top then,” said Luka, trying not to laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Juleka’s brother didn’t speak much to his sister’s classmates, but was on friendly terms with them. It was still taking some time to adjust to the new normal- Marinette being with Adrien, albeit not entirely (at least that’s what Juleka and everyone else was saying). He honestly did wish her the best, but a part of him was still stuck on trying to get over her. Maybe now that he was going onto his higher education in the fall, he’d be able to focus on his music and finally start moving on... </span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Tikki and Plagg didn’t get as involved in the affairs of their charges now that the identities had been revealed. It was bittersweet even if Plagg refused to admit it. On the one hand they were glad that there were no more secrets or lies or the messy love square/hexagon/whatever-agon they had created. It meant that the kwamis were reunited and could hang out with each other in Marinette’s room or in one of the backpacks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tikki was ecstatic that Marinette was finally starting to be happy again. The last three months had been some of the trickiest for the ladybug kwami as she tried to provide comfort as best as she could despite her small size. She was thankful things with Adrien had been working out. She wasn’t sure what else she could do to help her human smile again. At only 15 years old, Marinette had a lot of pressure on her. With Master Fu no longer around, the burden of taking care of 17 miraculouses and retrieving the two stolen ones from the Chinese Miracle Box fell onto the young designer. Because kwamis were forbidden from reading what the Miraculous grimoire had, neither Tikki nor the other kwamis could help with translating it. Even if she wanted to, Marinette wouldn’t be able to start deciphering the rest of the book until she got it back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The only lead they had before Hearthunter and Miracle Queen was Adrien’s dad. Both Marinette and Tikki weren’t sure how the book came into the possession of Mrs. Agreste before giving it to her husband. Obviously Adrien wasn’t a suspect since he had been Chat Noir the entire time. Mr. Agreste had been their only potential lead. He had the book again after Marinette returned it. Was it possible he knew what it was? She would need to talk to Plagg about it...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Speaking of Plagg, the kwami of Destruction had never thought he would ever get sick of cheese.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But then came his newest Kitten and Princess Pigtails. Boy, had they driven him up the wall with the mess that was their romance and love life. Seriously, how many people had to get involved in order for the two kids to realize the truth?! He was glad the torture was over. Sure he had to endure cheesiness still, but at least now he didn’t have to deal with the “Ladybug isn’t interested,” “Marinette is just a friend,” “I just need to give Kagami a chance,” “Marinette likes Luka,” “My Lady-,” yada, yada. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Plagg was never given enough camembert to deal with the drama. He never understood how Tikki could handle it. Yes, he liked seeing his Kid happy, but the poor Kitten was still naive about so many things. What modern boy decides to propose to his crush at 15 years old?! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeah, he hid how he truly felt, but if his Kid and Ladybug weren’t going to be happy because Fluff’s Kit said it was going to mess up their future, he was going to have a word with the skater girl. Timeline be damned. He was the reason bad luck got its name. He had more than 9 lives unlike his human charges who only had 1 life. He may as well try and fix </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Maybe he should bring it up with Tikki so the next time that they pop into the Miracle Box, they could prepare in case Marinette and Adrien were forced to part ways...</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Chapter 35</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Adrien’s head was in the clouds. It was the second-to-last day of school and the day before his big declaration. He, Nino, Rose, Juleka and Ivan had taken over the music room during Ms. Bustier's classes and of course everyone else had tried to guess what they were rehearsing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya had tried to question her boyfriend but for once he kept quiet and just smirked. Rose looked like she was going to burst, but Juleka and Ivan had to practically drag her away when the blonde girl started looking at Adrien to plead to be allowed to say </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was stressful. He wanted nothing more than to be able to tell all his friends, but it would have to wait until tomorrow morning before Marinette arrived. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Practice after school was productive for the most part, but it was distracting. The teen model was feeling a bit nervous from how awkward it must be for Luka. Sure, things had been worked out between the boys, but Adrien still felt weird about performing a song he co-wrote with the other guy that was (formally) in love with his crush/not-girlfriend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the final rehearsal finished, Adrien wasn't in the right headspace.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sure Marinette will like the songs," he heard someone say behind him as he put away the keyboard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning around, he saw Luka storing his guitar in its case as the others also started packing things up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I admit I'm a little nervous about tomorrow, but I'm also worried," confessed Adrien as he rubbed the back of his neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It doesn't sound like whatever's bugging you is related to that," said Rose. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not. Well, it's not the performance. It's the songs themselves…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't think there's anything wrong with them," commented Ivan. "I think it's cool that you wrote them and learned them so quickly."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thanks…" replied Adrien with a half-smile. "But I can't take all the credit. Luka and Nino helped."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other three band members looked somewhat surprised as they looked back and forth between Adrien and Luka.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The older brother spoke up to break the tension. "Jules, it wasn't a problem. Adrien’s my friend and he trusted me with the task. I know it must be weird for you and your classmates, but there's nothing to worry about. I knew how things were possibly going to end."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's good," responded the raven-haired girl. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We've all been worried about it," explained Rose. "We just want to see Marinette happy again."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We all do. There's not much to say about it. I know I won't be there at the picnic, so I hope you all record the performance," Luka said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What performance?" asked Ivan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien blushed. He hadn't told anyone other than Nino and Luka about the surprise for the picnic. "Um, I'm planning on performing one of the songs tomorrow at the picnic. The one we've been practicing will hopefully be performed at the concert tomorrow night."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose squealed as she jumped. "That's so romantic! Marinette's going to be so surprised. Wait… Are you going to ask her out?! You need us to help you plan!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I appreciate the offer, Rose, but I'm not going to ask her. Not then at least. I've said before that Mari and I have talked about where we are, and I don't think that's going to change anytime soon."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine," said Rose, slightly sad from the news. "But can the girls and I at least help?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What did you have in mind?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We'll get Marinette ready for the picnic," chimed in Juleka.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Whatever that means for you, sure," said Adrien.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Looks like you'll be set then Adrien. I wish you the best for tomorrow," said Luka.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thanks. I guess we'll see you tomorrow at the mic check for the concert."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Definitely."</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Marinette was confused as to why the girls texted her to ask about her clothes for tomorrow. It was going to be the last day of school. If she were to change, it would be for the concert taking place that evening.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It's just school. I'm going to change for the concert, but not for the picnic. Why do you ask…?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose: </span>
  <em>
    <span>We haven't hung out in forever!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya: </span>
  <em>
    <span>We're coming over in the morning and getting you ready for the picnic</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But I don’t need to do anything! Besides, I'm going to class. I wasn't planning on missing the last day of school.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Mylène: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Rose wants a 'girl's morning out'</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What does that mean?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Juleka: </span>
  <em>
    <span>We have breakfast together</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose: </span>
  <em>
    <span>I've really missed you and hanging out with you. This may be our only chance before lycée.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya: </span>
  <em>
    <span>We can always ask her parents about her schedule to see when she's free and not hanging out with Adrien ;p</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I don't spend all my time with him!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Alix: </span>
  <em>
    <span>I'm pretty sure we can have Max give us an actual calculation on that. I bet Adrien would gladly give us the info if we asked.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fine! I'll do breakfast tomorrow, just please give me some time to wake up first. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya: </span>
  <em>
    <span>It's either going to be us dragging you out of bed, or we'll probably end up getting Adrien to wake you uuuuppppp</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>=^_^=</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>See you tomorrow</span>
  </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>She hadn't really planned on it, but Ladybug began wandering across Paris's rooftops late in the night. She was supposed to be in bed, but after the texts with the girls, she was a bit nervous. Something told her that they were up to something. She wasn't sure what, but hopefully it was a good thing. The last thing anyone needed was for her to break down and ruin the last day of collège.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had no direction in mind and while she was keeping an eye out for trouble, so far it had been uneventful. It stayed that way until she stopped at the Eiffel Tower.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Atop their usual meet-up spot on the observation deck was Chat Noir.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good evening My Lady," said the superhero with his hands behind his back, rocking on his feet. "Fancy seeing you here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey, Kitty. How are you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Purrfect now that you're here!" replied Chat. "I didn't know you'd be on pawtrol tonight. You should've let mew know."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I just needed to burn off some restlessness. May as well use it to get back into the swing of things."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Everything okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah. I guess? It's nothing really," muttered Ladybug as she rested her arms on the railing. "I'm just wondering about tomorrow."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nervous?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"A little, but it's just- The girls are having breakfast with me in the morning."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's great! Right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think so. As long as they don't do anything to hurt me…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't think they're trying to hurt you Bugaboo," said Chat. "It sounds like they just want to spend time with you." The blond couldn't exactly say 'They're also going to do something before the picnic!'</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know, but I'm not even sure how I'm going to give everyone their presents tomorrow. I then have to figure out what I'm going wear for the concert and then I have to make sure all the outfits are ready-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chat cupped the superheroine's cheeks. "I'm sure the girls can help you get ready for the concert. You've worked hard and are going to enjoy tomorrow. We're going to have fun at the picnic and then we'll get to rock out to music."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ladybug's words got stuck in her throat as she tried to steady her breath. She was a bit frantic, but it was hard </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> to get lost in Adrien/Chat's-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What's in your hand?" she asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>From her peripheral vision, she could see something in Chat's left hand. The thin object was pressing against her right cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, um, I know you've told me not to give them to you," started mumbling Chat as he dropped his hands from his hold on her face. "But I was out and saw online that you had been spotted so I decided to come see you since it's been a while and-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She kissed the corner of his mouth, taking the red rose from him. "Thank you Kitty." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her partner stared for a moment before hugging her, picking her up and spinning her. "Thank you My Lady! I'm the happiest cat in all of Paris!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>LB couldn't help but laugh. "Whoa… Chat. I said thank you for the flower. It's not like I said yes to-" She shut her mouth to stop herself from finishing the sentence as her face turned red. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Said yes to what?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tonight's not it. Just- Just forget I said anything."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"LB, what are you talking about?" The superhero's head was tilted to one side in concern as he pulled the superheroine close to hold her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I just- It's nothing bad. I'll just tell you after the next akuma attack."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Huh?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's something I think you'll be happy to hear. I just need some time to figure out the details."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Um, okay. If I can do anything to help-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll let you know." She ran her fingers through his hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Pawmise?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Purromise."</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Marinette usually wasn't selfish, but this was her only chance at getting the presents together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Kaalki, full gallop!" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once transformed, Marinette used Portal to arrive into her homeroom in the middle of the night. She had to be careful in the dark so as to not trip. It took a bit of time, but she was able to place each bag on the correct spot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After recharging Kaalki, Marinette portaled back to her room and promptly passed out.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>The following morning Marinette was woken up by Alya's squealing. "Ladybug kissed Chat!"</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ladybug kissed-</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?!" The designer fell out of her bed. That kiss was-</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She doesn't know. </span>
  </em>
  <span>"How- How did you find out?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ladybug and Chat Noir were captured by the cameras on the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower. Not sure why they went there instead of one of the higher beams like they usually do," responded the Ladyblogger joyfully. "Good morning Marinette!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"'morning," replied Marinette as she moved to wake up properly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Today was the day. The last day of collège, the concert, the day she was probably going to let Adrien know she was ready to formally start their relationship. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Chapter 36</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: If anyone's a fan of Hunter Hayes, you'll recognize the song Adrien 'wrote' for Marinette. All right belong to him, the label, etc.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Breakfast with the girls was fun. They didn't go out like she had thought they would. Instead, it was more of a "Get Marinette ready and eat at home" kind of thing.  </p><p>While her Mom prepared crêpes for the 6 teens, Marinette found her room exploded with clothes as the other 5 debated what she should wear.</p><p>"I'm not wearing heels if that's your plan Alya," muttered the designer. "I don't want to embarrass myself."</p><p>"We've got this," Alya reassured her. "What do you all think- pink or red?"</p><p>"Ooh, I say red!" said Rose. "Nothing says 'I love you Adrien' than wearing Ladybug’s color."</p><p>"Ummm…"</p><p>Alix laughed. "It'll be a subtle way to mess with him. Ladybug’s his celebrity crush and besides, you're his Ladybug, right?"</p><p>"I guess…"</p><p>"I think it's a good idea," said Mylène as she held a black cardigan. "Maybe a shirt or a dress with this?"</p><p>"Definitely!" said Rose as she began looking for either clothing article…</p><p>The girls ate breakfast before getting Marinette ready. Marinette didn't say much as she just wanted to try and stay in the moment. She let them do her hair and make up with no fuss. There weren't any huge changes to her appearance. The only hint of makeup was the lipgloss Alya swore would stay on all day. It was a light red that could pass for pink. As for her hair, it was mostly down. It was curled, but two half-ponytails sat on top on the back of her head with her red elastics and ribbon. It reminded her of her pigtails as Ladybug.</p><p>"I bet Adrien's going to be blushing so much when he sees you," said Alya as she looked at her phone. "We'll let you finish getting ready. We'll head out to make sure Adrien's in class before you show up."</p><p>"Okay…" Marinette walked her friends out as she mentally prepared for the long day ahead of her.</p><hr/><p>Ms. Bustier's class was confused as they trickled in for homeroom that morning. On each of their seats was a small present bag. No tags were on any of them. How had these gotten in overnight?</p><p>Adrien was just as confused when he pulled out the superhero plushies, the blanket and the envelope. He loved the design on the blanket, and of course now he had two new additions to his superhero collection, but the envelope's content is what caught his attention.</p><p>Written on a half torn piece of paper was Marinette’s handwriting?</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> When it comes to romance, those relationships bring their own challenges. Young love is fragile. Our first relationships aren't always going to work out the way we want them to. Fairytales capture our imaginations and don't tell the truth. Romance isn't always a happy ending. Sometimes it leads to confusion, anger, disappointment and disillusion. Heartbreak and mending. Sometimes the mistake we make can lead to happy beginnings, but it's not easy getting there.  </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> Even when you think you'll finally get a chance at happiness, life can still get in your way. It can lead to an indescribable pain in your heart. It can lead you to sacrifice the thing you yearn for the most if it means that the person you care about doesn't suffer the loss you have. It hurts and it will take time to accept what's happened. You may or may not get over it. You can try and move on and forget about it, but that one love will always stay with you no matter what happens.  </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> You ask yourself if what you're doing is right. Your head and your heart want what's best for you. You ask yourself which way you should go. It feels like you don't know what your heart is telling you as you dream. It drives you insane since you never thought you'd feel so much. It's tearing at your heart because it feels like you will never be able to make a decision. You don't know how to read the signs in front of you. You get your hopes up, but you've watched them fall one too many times. It's hard to watch everything slowly fade away into nothing. </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> Losing them was the blue of the sky that came with the irony when you first tried to let them go. Missing them in the time after was a blur- dark, gray, alone and incomplete even if someone else was there trying to fill the hole. Forgetting them and regretting letting them go was sudden and you tried to deny it. Icy white and blue was the nightmare when you realized what it meant if you didn't control your own fears and doubts, allowing your secrets to be revealed before you were ready. Green was what you felt when you saw them try to move on, but it was also why you fell. Why you fell hard and couldn't go back to wanting to be just friends. You get lost time and time again in that bright emerald hue. Black was the hole in your heart in which fear and despair lived in for so long. In which you hid anything negative because of how much you worried and how much you want to protect them. Red is loving them. It's your anger at their sacrifices to shield you and attempts to protect you. But it's also the roses they give you. It's what they see you in and it's the warmth and the passion of the love in their heart. </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> You met them by accidentally crashing into them while falling and later having a big misunderstanding. It rained when you fell for them, and when you realized how you felt about them. You tried to move on, but no one else could heal your heart. Remembering them came in flashbacks and echoes, when you lost your chance and tried to tell yourself it was time to let go. It was in the rain when you realized it was impossible to move on from them. You weren't ready to let them go. They were the only one you saw in your head. Although the rain stopped, they stayed.  </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> You hope that when the magic's all run out, and things settle down, they'll still be waiting for you. </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>Did this mean what he thought it meant? Adrien would have to talk to Marinette later in private. He reread the entire message again. It was long, but there was a lot of emotion in it. </p><p>How did these presents get placed before everyone-</p><p>Adrien couldn't help but laugh. Of course. Only his Lady was clever enough to sneak in the dark. If she had asked him for help, the surprise would've been ruined. </p><p>Putting the items back in their bag, Adrien waited for his Princess to arrive.</p><hr/><p>Marinette was a bit nervous as she walked into class. It was just like old times. Having lost track of time, she ended up running to school late.</p><p>"Sorry! I-" she stopped mid-breath when she noticed that Ms. Bustier still hadn't arrived. Sheepishly, she started making her way to her seat, but before she could step onto the platform, she was smothered in hugs.</p><p>Adrien had hugged Maribette first and soon enough, everyone (except Chloé) had created a rather awkward yet hilarious group hug. </p><p>Rounds of "thank you!"s filled the room as Marinette took a moment to process what had happened. </p><p>"You- You're welcome," she said shyly as everyone returned to their seats. The designer quickly went to hers. "It- I originally wasn't planning on coming today," she blurted out. "But Adrien convinced me to come and after everything that's happened… I'm glad I get to spend the last day of collège with you all. I hope everyone likes the shirts. It was sort of a last minute thing I decided so I wasn't able to personalize them more. If I did, I would-"</p><p>Alya hugged the pigtailed girl. "We love them and you're not allowed to comment on what you would change. Just enjoy everyone being happy."</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>Because it was the last day of classes, morning classes were spent just chit chatting. Even Ms. Mendeleiev had let the kids just hang out without giving them a lecture. Because they had Ms. Bustier as their teacher after lunch for the rest of the school day, the instructor had agreed on making the picnic a field trip once the official lunch time ended. </p><p>"You alright bro?" asked Nino.</p><p>He'd noticed Adrien fidgeting a lot in his seat earlier in the day. Now the two were headed to Nino’s home to pick up the food for the picnic.</p><p>"Yeah. Just nerves about the picnic."</p><p>"It's not like you're confessing for the first time."</p><p>"I may as well be doing that tonight," replied Adrien. "I've done it before and she turned me down several times. Even now, she's still probably going to say no."</p><p>"What do you mean Marinette's turned you down several times?" asked the DJ. "Did you try and make a move on Mari before and not tell me?"</p><p>Adrien blushed, but didn't reply. He almost let the Chat out of the bag.</p><p>"Adrien, if the entire time you pretended to not notice Marinette’s feelings for you-"</p><p>"I didn’t know! Honest. I mean, since she rejected me in New York, I've dropped hints about wanting to start dating her, but she's said no. Nothing else. Sorry if it sounded like it was something bigger."</p><p>"Don't worry dude. It's cool," Nino replied as they entered his family's apartment. "Can you get the pie that's in the fridge? I'll go get the portable speaker from my room…"</p><p>Back at the Dupain-Cheng bakery and pastry shop, Marinette was quickly packing a variety of sweets to bring to the park. She had forgotten about picking a dish. This would just have to do.</p><p>"Marinette dear, would you like your dad or I to help you with the boxes?" asked Sabine. Her daughter was closing the lid on three boxes. Knowing her daughter, one was bound to fall.</p><p>"No, thank you Maman. I want to do this myself."</p><p>"Okay, dear. Enjoy the picnic."</p><p>"I'll try. So far the day's been pretty boring. Not that that's a bad thing," commented Sabine's daughter.</p><p>"It feels a little strange?"</p><p>"Uh huh. It's a good kind of weird though. I better get going. I don't want to be late." Marinette stacked the three boxes and began making her way to the front door.</p><p>Sabine walked behind and helped open the front door to let her daughter out. </p><p>"Thanks Mom."</p><p>"Let us know if you need anything after school."</p><p>"I will!"</p><p>Marinette made her way to the park. For once she didn't rush. The trip didn't take long, but she still had to look around for her classmates.</p><p>"Over here!" She heard someone cry out.</p><p>Following the direction of the voice, she spotted everyone settling down on picnic blankets that had been put together on the ground. Multiple dishes laid in the center. A few bottled drinks sat next to cups, plates and utensils.</p><p>"She made it!" pointed out Alya as she took the pastry boxes from Marinette and sat her next to Adrien.</p><p>"H-Hi."</p><p>"Now that you're here, we can <em> finally </em>chow down the food," said Kim as he eyed the food in front of him. "Someone pass me a plate. I'm starving!"</p><p>Kim's declaration kicked off the small celebration. Nino played music in the background as the teens began to make their plates. </p><p>"Hey, Marinette?"</p><p>The girl turned her head and could see Adrien's flushed pink cheeks. He was either feeling shy or was embarrassed about something. "Yes?"</p><p>"Um, do you think we can talk before lunch is over? I don't think I'll have time after school since I'll have to prepare for the concert."</p><p>"S-Sure."</p><p>"Great! You look beautiful by the way. I didn't get a chance to tell you this morning. I love the color scheme."</p><p>It was Marinette's turn to turn pink. "Thanks. The girls came over extra early and convinced me."</p><p>"You should wear red more often."</p><p>The designer couldn't help but roll her eyes and smile. "I think I wear it enough. I don't need anyone getting any ideas about me and polka dots."</p><p>"Why not?"</p><p>"Remember the Clara Nightingale music video? I want to avoid that scenario again if possible."</p><p>"You don't have to wear spots though. What if you wear red with other colors?"</p><p>"I'll consider it. But I make no promises. I like my pink," reaffirmed Marinette as she was passed a plate full of food.</p><p>Adrien tried to eat as best as he could. His nerves were on edge as he tried to figure out the best way to segway into singing. </p><p>The class spent a good while just talking and eating. Even Chloé had managed to do small talk for a bit. As they finished eating, the chatter settled. Nino looked over to Adrien to see if his bff was ready for his surprise.</p><p>The model nodded quickly and stood up to grab everyone's attention.</p><p>"I have something I want to share, but before I do, I just want to thank you all," he began. "Coming to school has meant a lot to me and it's taught me a lot of things. I've learned new things from our teachers, but I've also learned about the different kinds of relationships people have with one another.</p><p>"Before I started school, I only really had one friend. Thanks Chloé for being there all those years. Now, I have more friends and have had a lot of unforgettable experiences. I'm looking forward to lycée and what it'll bring and I can't wait to see what's next."</p><p>"Are you trying to ruin my make-up, Adrikins?" asked Chloé as she blinked rapidly.</p><p>"Sorry, Chlo," apologized Adrien. "Seriously, I don't think I'd be able to do everything I've done if it weren't for you guys."</p><p>"I'd say if it weren't for Marinette you wouldn't even be in school still," said Alya. "She’s the one that did everything she could to make sure you were happy and could keep coming."</p><p>There were murmurs of agreement amongst the teens as the designer turned pink.</p><p>"It- It's nothing. I was just doing what I could to help out a friend."</p><p>"You're right Alya. Marinette, when I said you were our Everyday Ladybug, I meant it," the model stated. "Our class wouldn't be the same without you and it took us almost losing you for everyone to really understand that you aren't just another person. You're the heart of this group. I'm grateful you've let me be there for you these last 3 months. Everything that's happened to us hasn't been easy, but there's something else I think we all want to remind you about."</p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p>"I couldn't exactly put it into words alone, so I put it into music."</p><p>"I don't understand..." Marinette asked confused. Her stomach was starting to fill up with butterflies. </p><p>Adrien nodded to Nino and the DJ selected the track. As the music began, Adrien looked at Marinette.</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p></p>
  <div class="ujudUb">
    <p>"<em>Crowded hallways are the loneliest places</em><br/><em>For outcasts and rebels</em><br/><em>Or anyone who just dares to be different</em><br/><em>And you've been trying for so long</em><br/><em>To find out where your place is</em><br/><em>But in their narrow minds</em><br/><em>There's no room for anyone who dares to do something different</em><br/><em>Oh, but listen for a minute</em></p>
  </div>
  <div class="ujudUb">
    <p> </p>
  </div>
  <div class="ujudUb">
    <p>
      <em>Trust the one</em>
      <br/>
      <em>Who's been where you are wishing all it was</em>
      <br/>
      <em>Was sticks and stones</em>
      <br/>
      <em>Those words cut deep but they don't mean you're all alone</em>
      <br/>
      <em>And you're not invisible</em>
      <br/>
      <em>Hear me out</em>
      <br/>
      <em>There's so much more to life than what you're feeling now</em>
      <br/>
      <em>Someday you'll look back on all these days</em>
      <br/>
      <em>And all this pain is gonna be invisible</em>
    </p>
  </div>
  <div class="ujudUb">
    <p>
      <br/>
      <em>Oh invisible...</em>
    </p>
  </div>
</blockquote>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you know the song, Just imagine Adrien sang the entire thing. There's only a.few chapters left! I expect to finish posting this weekend.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Chapter 37</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There were a few people that had shed tears during Adrien's performance. Alya managed to get it on camera, but even she had to stop immediately as soon as the song ended.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Worst (or maybe not) of the tears had come from Marinette. She wasn't sad, but a tad overwhelmed. Adrien not just wrote a song, but also sang it to her?!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I-I know I'm not the best singer, but I wanted to give you something to remind you that even though things were difficult for a while, you're strong and you have me and everyone else here to help- Whoa!" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette had practically tackled Adrien as she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. Her face was starting to swell from crying, but she didn't care.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mari, are you okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I guess that means you liked it?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another nod. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That was beautiful!" commented Mylène. "When did you write it?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I had some help from Nino and Kitty Section," said Adrien.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's cool," said Kim as he tried to not make it look like he cried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I-I, thank you, Adrien," said Marinette as she tried to recompose herself and definitely not freaking out that she was wrapped in Adrien's arms in front of everyone. "Thank you guys for- for being patient and waiting for me. Like Adrien said, it hasn't been easy. I don't know what's going to happen in lycée, but I hope we can keep making good memories and having fun together."</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>There was still about an hour left before lunch was over. The class' picnic had been cleaned up and packed away, thus ending earlier than expected. Photos had been taken and shared. Eventually everyone had started breaking up into their smaller groups. When Adrien announced he and Marinette were going for a walk, there was some teasing, but a few faces were full of hope again. Would it finally happen?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Although he said they'd be going for a walk, Adrien led Marinette back to her balcony for privacy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What's wrong?" asked the girl as she sat down on her chair. She didn't suspect anything was off with Adrien, but for all she knew, he could've finally found a way to hide his feelings from her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blonde sat on the wooden crate box in front of her. "Nothing’s wrong. I'm happy. I just wanted to know about what you wrote on the paper that was in the envelope with my present. There were a lot of things I got from it, but I just wanted to make sure that I didn't misread it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I… You've been there for me through everything since we met. I don't think I would've made it through the end of the school year if it wasn't for your support. We've had so many things keeping us apart and it's hurt. It's hurt us a lot and I don't think it'll stop," said Marinette as she got up and leaned against the railing. "I'm not saying it to stop you, Adrien. It's just… I'm not sure how I'll be once we're in lycée. I'm finally starting to feel like my old self again, yet I'm worried. I know changes are coming and I won't be able to control them all."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not going anywhere, My Lady," replied Adrien as he stood next to her, taking her hands in his. "We're partners and it wouldn't be fair to let you go through things alone."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know, Kitty. I know that there are a few things I can control and that includes my own happiness. I can't let fear stop me from following my heart."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And what does your heart say?" Adrien's eyes filled with hope. But he didn't want to get his hopes up too much, so he didn't say more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's been mending and it gives my stomach excited butterflies."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So the opposite of akumas?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You could say that. It's the same nervousness I've always felt around you, but this time I'm not scared to say it and admit it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Say what?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette smiled softly as she ran one of her hands through Adrien’s hair. She could practically envision her partner in his catsuit. His fake ears would be perked up in anticipation and his tail would probably wrap itself around her waist. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Think you can wait until tonight?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tonight?! Why? Didn’t you say to wait until the next akuma attack?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I figured we could talk after the concert and I don't want to wait anymore."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My father's probably going to have me do a press conference or something," muttered Adrien. "I won't get any time alone until bedtime. How about I come over after I patrol?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you sure you won't be tired? Sure, summer vacation starts tomorrow, but knowing your dad, he's probably going to book your schedule or something."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I've run on little sleep before. Besides, if tonight's a success, I may get some time off."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine, but if you start falling asleep, I'm taking you home."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Deal."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Being in their respective hiding spots, Tikki and Plagg couldn't see how each other were reacting. Plagg figured his counterpart would be ready to celebrate as soon as the Kids kissed or whenever Pigtails told his Kitten she was ready. Adrien got so caught up in the picnic that the kwami hadn't even been fed! He hated not being able to take his naps. What he hated more was not being fed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien tilted his head as he leaned in towards Marinette’s face, but was stopped by the small floating cat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Plagg?!" said both teens as they broke apart, blushing profusely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I need to be fed, Adrien. I haven't had food since this morning," complained the kwami of Destruction as he crossed his arms. "You left my precious camembert in your locker."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien argued back. "Aren't you supposed to be with Tikki right now? Marinette said you can hang out in the Miracle Box whenever I come over. Why can't you just ask Tikki to take you to get some food?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You know I eat camembert."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You've eaten the cheesy snacks before."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But that's because you had camembert with you. You neglected to put my camembert in your pocket today."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, I'm sorry. I forget one time and you're ready to Cataclysm something?!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, you want me to? I'll-?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's enough!" said Marinette sternly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But-" began both the model and small cat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Plagg, you know you shouldn't use your Cataclysm unless it's absolutely necessary. We don't want any unnecessary destruction. You're always welcomed to stop by for food, but not everyone will have camembert," stated the designer. It was probably the first time in a while she had to act all Guardian-like. "Adrien, I can keep some cheesy snacks in the snack bin I made for Tikki. That way Plagg can stay there while you're over, but Plagg's going to have to learn to ration. My parents aren't exactly the type to just let me order wheels of cheese to store in our fridge."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine," said the floating cat. "But can I have a multi-cheesy bread bowl? I've never had one and want to swim in it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Swim? Yuck." Adrien stuck his tongue out in disgust.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I've never made them before, but I can try and learn how to make them," replied Marinette.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you!" Plagg nuzzled the young Guardian's cheek in gratitude and returned to Adrien’s pocket for a nap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien couldn't help but pout. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What's wrong, Adrien?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The teenage boy's cheeks turned a soft pink. "How come Plagg gets to nuzzle you…?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Marinette's turn for her cheeks to turn pink. "A-Are you jealous of your </span>
  <em>
    <span>kwami</span>
  </em>
  <span>?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Adrien…" Marinette softly scratched his head. In response, the blond automatically leaned into the scratch. "You're both cats. You nuzzle to show affection. I bet that Plagg nuzzles you sometimes too."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maybe…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"See? There's nothing to worry about. Besides, I get to do this." She leaned in and kissed his cheek. </span>
  <span>Adrien had a dazed look on his face. Marinette couldn't help but tease him. "There'll be more coming when you least expect it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leaving his side, she returned to her room. It took Adrien a few seconds to realize he was a Kitty on the roof without his Lady… "Hey!"</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>The end of the school year came and soon enough, Ms. Bustier tearfully bid her homeroom class of four years goodbye with best wishes as they embarked on to lycée. With promises to visit and see the baby once they were born, the former students of Collège Françoise Dupont split up to prepare for the big Agreste charity concert that was due to start in less than 4 hours. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For Adrien, that meant heading home, preparing to host and find a way to make sure he got to perform the second song. Kitty Section went to gather their instruments and outfits before heading over to the venue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette was trying not to panic about the outfits. Although they had been picked up and were where they needed to be, her brain had been reviewing each piece in her mind. What if something didn't fit?!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette, you did a fantastic job and the outfits look amazing. You should relax," commented Tikki. "I know you're worried, but everyone's going to want to make sure you're enjoying yourself. If you're still worried, why not pack your sewing kit? Will that help?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good idea Tikki." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette swapped her usual purse for a slightly bigger one so she could place her mini sewing kit and still give Tikki room alongside her snacks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She then focused on what to wear. Even though it was a concert, Marinette still wanted to look nice. She was planning on confessing to Adrien after it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Opting to keep the cardigan in case she got cold, the superheroine went with a light pink dress. It had lace sleeves but most of the body was a cotton blend. It wasn't anything fancy, but paired with her favorite pink flats, it would work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After killing some time and an early dinner with her parents, upon arriving at the concert venue, Marinette found herself being let into the backstage with a pass and everything. There was still a bit of time before Kitty Section opened. All around her were people putting the final touches for the performances. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was led to a green room and in it were her friends, dressed in their outfits and talking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're here!" said Rose excitedly as she pulled Marinette towards everyone else. "I love the unicorn on my jacket!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Y-You're welcome Rose. Hi you guys," waved Marinette.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hi Marinette." Ivan was talking with Juleka.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How do you all feel about tonight?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think a mix of excitement and nerves, but I know we'll do well," said Luka. "We've been practicing and I still can't believe we're opening."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I heard it was originally Rose’s idea."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I said before. It was a class effort. Ivan and Alya also helped," replied Rose. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ivan smiled proudly. "We wouldn't have been able to do this if Adrien hadn't agreed to it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Juleka simply smirked a little bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Jules?" asked Luka as he crossed his arms. "What are you hiding?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nothing," replied the guitarist's younger sister. "I just find it interesting how all of this started as another 'We need to help Adrien' idea."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It did?" asked Luka. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette, you haven't heard the full story have you?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not really…" trailed off the designer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose started bouncing off the walls again. "I think you'll like it!" </span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>"Adrien's lucky to have friends like you all," said Luka. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Marinette's a big reason why we've been able to get to know each other over the years," added Ivan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Lycée's going to be a bit weird. We're all probably not going to be in the same classes anymore," said Rose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luka reassured the teens. "Possibly not, but there will be opportunities to hang out and meet up still."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A knock on the door was followed by, "We need you on deck. You go on in 5." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"5?" asked Marinette.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We perform in 5 minutes," explained Luka. "That means we need to get going. You can wait here if you want Marinette."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll go with you guys. I want to see you all perform."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose was getting pumped up. "Yeah!!" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She led the way to the side of the stage. From what the teens could hear, there were a lot of people present. Cheers erupted and a lot of squealing began as someone made their way to the center of the stage with a microphone in their hand...</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Chapter 38</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: Yet another Hunter Hayes song appears for plot purposes </p><p>I know Kitty Section isn't really a country music group, but they're not the ones who are singing the main vocals this chapter</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Adrien did his best to channel Chat Noir's confidence as the spotlight stopped on him. "Good evening, Paris! How's everyone tonight?"</p><p>The crowds' cheers were deafening to his ears. He could only imagine what it would've been like if he was transformed.</p><p>"I think tonight's going to be fun and exciting. Tonight you'll get to hear music from three different artists who love their work. I've had the opportunity to meet them all and I have to say that they're all amazing. As you've probably heard, tonight's concert is a charity event that the Agreste fashion house is sponsoring. All the sales from the tickets will be going towards education programs and schools in Paris. </p><p>"As… strange as it may sound, I pitched the idea to my father. Being able to attend collège with peers my age has opened my view of life and the world a lot. I've met a lot of people and have learned more about life. This concert is my way to give back. For someone my age, it feels like we don't always have the power or the ability to make a difference. Since going to school, people have shown me that it is possible. But not everyone's given those opportunities, which, like I said before, I decided the concert should be a charity event. My friends had an idea that they suggested. Originally it was a way to help me with something, but from that came tonight.</p><p>"I know everyone's excited to see and hear both Clara Nightingale and Jagged Stone-"</p><p>More cheers erupted throughout the crowd. </p><p>"-but first please welcome one of Paris' up and coming bands, Kitty Section!"</p><p>As Adrien left the stage, he saw people in the front row pull out the unicorn-inspired masks. <em> Those are probably our friends… </em></p><p>Juleka, Rose, Ivan and Rose high-fived Adrien as the former stepped into the spotlight led by Luka. </p><p>"Break a leg," he heard before he saw her.</p><p>Adrien's face lit up with joy. "Marinette!" He quickly hugged. </p><p>"Hi, Adrien. I liked your introduction."</p><p>"Father's probably going to tell me that it was too long and sentimental," he whispered in case anyone was nearby trying to spy.</p><p>"It sounded like everyone liked it. As long as the public approves, that's what's important to him isn't it?"</p><p>"Unfortunately," he muttered. "You changed outfits?" he added, noticing the pink dress.</p><p>Marinette didn't expect Adrien to notice right away. "Yeah. I didn't want to wear something covered in grass stains. You look very handsome."</p><p>Adrien was wearing his signature white button up, but with a green shirt and black pants. "It's not much of a change, but the pants are supposed to be part of the new fall line," explained the model.</p><p>"You'll be modeling the winter line soon then?" </p><p>Adrien frowned. "Nothing like a new photoshoot to start summer vacation."</p><p>"I thought you were getting more free time?" </p><p>"I am, but my father still needs me to do most of the campaigns."</p><p>"As long as you're able to have time for yourself and to hang out with friends, it's fine, right?"</p><p>"Yeah…"</p><p>The pair fell into a comfortable silence as they saw Kitty Section's performance. Because the two were off to one side, no one really made a big deal about them. (That or maybe because it was Adrien Agreste and no one wanted to piss off his dad)</p><p>From time to time Marinette would hum along as she smiled seeing her friends perform. </p><p>Before she knew it, Clara Nightingale had approached her insisting to take a photo. "A photo I have to take. It's time to show the world that your designs are real and not fake. I'll share this with the world and Adrien's dad. Thank you for your design, it makes me glad."</p><p>"Y-You're welcome Clara. It was an honor."</p><p>After taking a few photos, Clara winked at her and Adrien. "Music for a good cause I can never turn down. By sharing my passion there’s no more frowns. Thank you Adrien for creating this. I hope your relationship is full of bliss."</p><p>Kitty Section returned backstage from performing. A blushing Adrien went out to talk a bit more and then introduced Clara.</p><p>Marinette just stood there, red as her suit even when Adrien returned.</p><p>"Did something happen?" asked Ivan.</p><p>"No-Nothing. Clara just said something to Adrien and it caught me off guard is all," said Marinette. </p><p>"Why don't we head back to the green room for some snacks and water?" suggested Luka.</p><p>"That sounds good."</p>
<hr/><p>Jagged Stone was set to start his set soon, but Adrien announced that Kitty Section was playing again. When the audience realized Adrien was joining on keyboard, the cheering only seemed to increase even more than before.</p><p>Marinette knew people would be excited because of Adrien, Clara and Jagged being present, but she never would've guessed that Adrien playing an instrument would cause the most noise.</p><p>"Marinette!" </p><p>The designer was hugged by her best friend.</p><p>"Alya? What are you doing back here?"</p><p>"Adrien's bodyguard got Nino and I from the front row and brought us. Nino seemed to know what was happening," explained the Ladyblogger. "Any idea as to why?"</p><p>"No. I didn't even know Adrien would be performing with the band tonight."</p><p>"So he models, acts, sings and plays an instrument? He's a quadruple threat. And to think he's also going to be taking over the largest fashion company in the world… <em> Someone’s </em>going to be happy for the rest of their life," teased Alya.</p><p>"Al, not now. Please?" begged Marinette. </p><p>"I know. I know. Go freshen up. I think they're going to be done soon."</p><p>"Okay, but please don't say anything."</p><p>"Promise!"</p>
<hr/><p>Adrien was nervous. He had played with the band and was enjoying himself, but this was bigger than just making his dad's company proud. This was bigger than trying to fight his dad's control.</p><p>The piece he was about to perform was probably the most vulnerable he'd ever been outside of the mask. He was so used to shutting away his emotions, Marinette was the only one who could tell when he was lying about being okay. </p><p>Sure, his friends had told him his singing was pretty good, but that didn't mean he wasn't nervous about how everyone would react. Model, voice actor, piano player and now a singer-songwriter? His obsessed fangirls were about to go off the walls and try and kill his Lady. </p><p>Maybe he should perform for her in private?</p><p>Adrien had gone off stage for a few songs to make sure Nino had set up the backtrack that had the other instruments for the song. </p><p>And now he felt sick.</p><p>"Alya?"</p><p>"Hey, Adrien."</p><p>"What are you doing back here?"</p><p>"Nino brought me. He said you needed his help but he also said I should probably come since Marinette may need support…?" trailed off the reporter as she fixed her glasses.</p><p>"If you count making sure she doesn't run away as support, I guess…"</p><p>"Run away? What do you mean by that?"</p><p>"I may have another surprise like I did at the picnic, but now I'm not so sure," confessed Adrien.</p><p>"You mean there's a part two to that?! Oh no. Don't even think about chickening out Sunshine," said Alya as she stopped in front of him. "You want to surprise Marinette again? This is it. Was the thing at the park not enough for her to say yes?"</p><p>"I'm not sure. She sort of teased me during our talk, but she didn't say anything to confirm nor deny that things would move forward."</p><p>"If this doesn't convince her that you're serious about waiting for her, then she's going to have to deal with the love sick puppy you are."</p><p>"I'm not a love sick puppy!" Adrien countered. He could feel Plagg’s cackling in his shirt pocket. "I prefer cats anyway."</p><p>"So you're a kitten who yearns for a life with a family. Ouch, saying that out loud-"</p><p>"It's fine Alya. I know you didn't mean for it to sound mean. I get it. I'm a hopeless romantic and wish I could marry Marinette. Save the teasing for another time, please?"</p><p>"Sure. I'm sure Marinette’s going to love your surprise. Here," the Ladyblogger said as she pulled out a travel size pack of tissues. "You're probably going to need them when you see her later."</p><p>Taking the tissues and putting them away in one of his pockets, Adrien took a deep breath. "Thanks Alya."</p><p>"Just doing my job as your wing woman. Break a leg." </p>
<hr/><p>So maybe Marinette had decided to take an extensive break from watching the concert. She needed some space to breathe. She had been gone for about 20 minutes.</p><p>"Marinette, how are you doing?" asked Tikki since they were the only two in the green room.</p><p>"A little nervous about later."</p><p>"No matter how you say it, Adrien's going to understand what you mean," the kwami reassured her. </p><p>"I should be getting back to Alya before she starts a search party for me."</p><p>The kwami quickly flew back into the purse.</p><p>Marinette made her way back to the side of the stage and found Alya smiling excitedly. "Did I miss something?"</p><p>"Nope! You're in time for the surprise."</p><p>"Surprise?"</p><p>Alya quickly gave Adrien and Nino the cue.</p><p>On stage, Adrien began talking again. "I just want to thank Kitty Section for allowing me to play tonight with them. They're good friends of mine… Today was the last day of school for many of us. We have to say 'see you next year' to our friends. Some of us will be going to new schools and having new adventures. A few weeks ago, one of my favorite teachers had my class do various writing assignments to reflect and think about the things we learned while in collège. I wrote about love and the different types there are. </p><p>"We all know about familial and friends. Many of us also have had experience with romantic love. We experience heartbreak and joy. I've seen my friends find their other halves. I've also seen adults in different stages of a relationship. I can remember how my mother would always make my father smile. It was those things that inspired me to write for that class assignment."</p><p>Adrien paused for a moment before pulling out a folded piece of paper. <em> "Most importantly, I learned that romantic love means something different to different people. It means hope and trust. Hope that you will find your other half even when it feels like the world is doing everything to stop you from being together. Hope that the one you dream about will realize the truth. It means a black umbrella and a butterfly that started it all. It means trusting them with everything, knowing they have your back. It means never giving up on the person who has your heart. Even when you're both afraid of losing each other, or afraid of the world coming in between you, or if you're still learning how to connect the many spots that make up their identity, you're determined to fight for each other.  </em></p><p>
  <em> "You may wear a mask behind the wall that separates you two, but that will never change how you feel. You will wait a lifetime for them if you have to because you love them madly, and more than anything else in the world, you will love them endlessly. It will always be you and them against the world." </em>
</p><p>As the crowd cheered on, Marinette was speechless. <em> What was Adrien doing?! </em>She couldn't wrap her head around it. Was he actually declaring himself to her in front of all of Paris?!</p><p>"Steady, Marinette," said Alya as she placed her hands on her best friend's shoulders. "Before you pass out on us, breathe in and out. In and out."</p><p>The teen closed her eyes and focused on her breathing for a bit as her heart fluttered.</p><p>"Alya?"</p><p>"Yes, Mari?"</p><p>"What's Adrien doing?"</p><p>"I can't say."</p><p>"Can't or won't."</p><p>"A little of both. Just trust me. Adrien knows what he's doing."</p><p>The bluebell-eyed girl opened her eyes. She hadn't really heard much of what else Adrien had said, but she caught him sneaking a glance at her and Alya's way as he finished with, "This last song is something that was inspired by what I had written and it was also inspired by real life. I hope you all enjoy it."</p><p>Adrien took a deep breath as he began playing the piano. Several notes in, the rest of the band and the backtrack began playing as he sang.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> "You know I'd fall apart without you<br/>
I don't know how you do what you do<br/>
'Cause everything that don't make sense about me<br/>
Makes sense when I'm with you<br/>
Like everything that's green, girl<br/>
I need you<br/>
But it's more than one and one makes two<br/>
Put aside the math and the logic of it<br/>
You gotta know you're wanted too</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>'Cause I wanna wrap you up<br/>
Wanna kiss your lips<br/>
I wanna make you feel wanted<br/>
And I wanna call you mine<br/>
Wanna hold your hand forever<br/>
And never let you forget it<br/>
Yeah, I, I wanna make you feel wanted"</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>As the song played, Marinette was fighting tears. Chat's roses were one thing. But this? </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>"Well, anyone can tell you you're pretty</em><br/>
<em>And you get that all the time, I know you do</em><br/>
<em>But your beauty's deeper than the makeup</em><br/>
<em>And I wanna show you what I see tonight"</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>If Chat had sung the song from the picnic she probably would've fallen for him a bit once she had originally given up on Adrien months ago. If he had sung this song, she probably would've fallen for him even more. If she had found out back then that Chat was Adrien, she wouldn't have given up on him so easily like she did in New York. She cared for her Kitty and Adrien. Maybe things in New York would've been different…</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>"As good as you make me feel<br/>
I wanna make you feel better<br/>
Better than your fairy tales <br/>
Better than your best dreams <br/>
You're more than everything I need<br/>
You're all I ever wanted<br/>
All I ever wanted"</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>Before she knew it, a pair of arms wrapped around her made her jump briefly. "Huh?" </p><p>"That was better than I imagined!" screamed Rose as she initiated a group hug.</p><p>Marinette was out of it as she smiled, pink in the face and pondered at what she was going to say.</p><p>"I call dibs on the first interview," said Alya. "Alright you guys, to the green room. The world awaits your thoughts…" </p><p>As Kitty Section and Nino followed the reporter, Adrien and Marinette remained whilst Jagged Stone began his set.</p><p>"Marinette?"</p><p>"Y-Yeah?" Marinette was trying not to blush a lot (or get lost in Adrien's eyes).</p><p>"Wh-What did you think?" asked Adrien shyly as rubbed the back of his neck.</p><p>"It-It was amazing. I loved it."</p><p>"You did?"</p><p>She nodded her head as blinked a few tears away.</p><p>"Great! I-I was worried you wouldn't and-"</p><p>"If you weren't modeling, I think all your fans would say that you should become a musician," Marinette said quietly.</p><p>"There's only one fan whose opinion I care about." Adrien stared at Marinette.</p><p>The superheroine was about to faint. This was too much for her!</p><p>"We- We can finish talking later," she said. She needed to catch her breath and make sure no one would try and interrupt them or try and take some photo to sell to the paparazzi.</p><p>"Sure."</p><p>Both teens released a breath they hadn't realized they had been holding as they stood watching Jagged Stone's performance.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Chapter 39</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The sun had set over Paris as the final number finished. Although the summer heat meant the sun was out, humidity was high enough that clouds had started forming. The heat was replaced with cooler weather and a bit of wind. People could smell the change in the atmosphere.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a special duet between Clara and Jagged with Kitty Section playing for them to close the concert out, Adrien was ushered to a press conference where, to his surprise, his dad was present. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Father?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Although the music is not of my taste, Nathalie tells me the event was a success," commented Gabriel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you, Father." Adrien knew that was as close as to a compliment he would receive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning to the press that had gathered just outside the venue, the head of the Agreste family proceeded to answer a few questions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mr. Agreste, with your son following in your footsteps, will this event become an annual tradition?" asked the first reporter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The possibility has not been ruled out. There are details from tonight that my son and I will need to discuss with members of the company first."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Following that question came one that irritated the elder Agreste. "Sir, what are your thoughts on the outfits that the performers wore tonight? Clara Nightingale posted on social media that they were designed and put together by a 15 year old who has previously been photographed with your son and who's appeared on his social media accounts."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The designs were unique and reflective of the artists that wore them."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have a follow-up question to that one," exclaimed a different reporter. "Why did Clara go to a teenager and not to you for a new outfit? It's widely known that you have designed her wardrobe since she began her career."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien answered before Gabriel could say anything. "The designer had previously won some of my father's contests before. He wanted to give her an opportunity to demonstrate her work even more. There have been talks about possibly having one of her designs become part of a future line. That's all we're allowed to comment on for the time being in regards to that matter."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn't a solid answer, but it would at least buy him some time to talk to Marinette about possibly interning with his father's company.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Adrien, as stated before, you appear to know the designer. Did your personal connection have anything to do with her being chosen?" someone asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Putting on the model poker face he had learned to lie with, Adrien gave a straight reply. "No, it didn't. After I proposed the idea of the concert to my father, he was the one that recommended that the designer be the one to create the clothing for the occasion. I simply helped facilitate things. I went to class with her for two years and have been able to attest to her skills." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So maybe he was telling a few white lies. It's not like it's the first time he's done it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mr. Agreste, should you take the up and coming designer into your company, will she take over as head designer upon your retirement?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have no intention to retire or to step down anytime soon from my company. For the time being, I will continue focusing on helping my son. We both must be going so we will only take one more question."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The final question was the one that made Adrien blush much to his father's annoyance. "Mr. Agreste, with Adrien having performed tonight, are there plans to have him enter the music industry? And Adrien, was the mystery girl you were caught with the real reason you wrote the song you sang tonight?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I would like to focus on my education so I have no plans to become a singer," stated the model. "I've helped Kitty Section practice before and the melody of the song came about after a practice session with the group's leader. Like I said earlier, the song was inspired by the things I reflected on during the writing assignment. I would like to thank my former teacher at Collège Françoise Dupont, Ms. Bustier for inspiring me and my friends. I wouldn't have been able to do this without her support either. Thank you all for coming. Have a pleasant evening."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, Adrien ended the press conference. He followed his father to the limousine to head home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let Ms. Dupain-Cheng know that she… has begun to make an impression in the industry. She has potential and it would be in her best interest to not accept any offers in the present to design exclusively for one fashion house," said Gabriel. "What are her plans for lycée?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She's going to attend the lycée général alongside our friends and former classmates from collège, from what I know," replied Adrien. The younger Agreste was confused as to why his father was inquiring about Marinette again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Which route will she take? Does she plan on taking the Baccalauréat?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not sure about which route she will take, but she does have plans to continue her education after lycée."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If she is to enter the fashion industry, she must have a grasp on not just the design aspect, but on the financial and business side of the industry as well. It will do her no good if she cannot understand how products sell," commented Gabriel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien had to fight himself so he wouldn't yell. Was his father questioning Marinette’s abilities? Didn't he just compliment them? "She does commissions, Father. She's worked for Jagged Stone before and helped design the logo for her family's bakery. She discussed it when she came for dinner before the gala..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you are to be seen with Ms. </span>
  <span>Dupain-Cheng, you will be enrolled in Economics and Social Sciences. I do hope Ms. Dupain-Cheng will also consider it. You will also continue your Chinese lessons in the fall."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, Father." Of course there would be a stipulation. "If my schedule permits it, I can continue practicing conversational Chinese during my break before school starts again. Marinette's mother is Chinese. Ms. Cheng offered to help me practice during the break. Because her and her husband run and operate a business, I believe that I can learn more of the business language used. It would allow me to continue learning and apply my lessons." Adrien didn't expect to bring up the idea he had come up with not too long ago, but if accepted, he would get to see Marinette. "I was also thinking about the company possibly having a limited edition cooking and baking-inspired line. I could take my time at the Dupain-Cheng bakery and learn about what makes the business as popular as it is. It could be an opportunity for Marinette to design and learn about the submission process."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gabriel wondered where his son was getting these ideas from. He really wasn't one to show initiative or interest in the company. Could the Dupain-Cheng girl have changed him that much?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Probably not. It was possible Adrien was interested in her simply because she was an aspiring designer that had won contests and had already started building her credibility. If he courted her and went on to marry her in a few years, Adrien wouldn't have to oversee the company. He would inherit the Agreste fortune, but leave it in the hands of a spouse who had no stake in the company. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nathalie will have to forward a contract to the Dupain-Chengs before we can proceed. I need to protect the company first, son."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, Father." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn't perfect, but it would do for now. Adrien would just need to find time to tell Marinette since he didn't have a chance to speak with her after the concert.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hey, Marinette?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yes, Adrien?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Can we still talk later tonight? I have some news.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Okay </span>
  </em>
  <span>&gt;^•^&lt;</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Marinette went to bed happy as she waited for her Kitty to arrive. She hoped that she'd be able to confess to him without embarrassing herself. As much as she wanted to stay up, it was hard to do since the exhaustion from the day was finally starting to kick in. Much to the disappointment of her friends, they all had to go to bed disappointed with their favorite couple still not official.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Later on when Marinette started dozing off, Ladybug and Chat Noir had to show up in public again. An Adrien fangirl had burst into tears after watching the post-concert press conference. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why did Hawk Moth have to ruin the start of summer vacation?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rejector was one of the sillier looking akumas yet she had been able to cause chaos. Her powers were able to bring out the fear of love in such a way that caused people to feel physical pain if they were hit by her beam. The Eiffel Tower was apparently a good way to declare one's one-sided love for Adrien Agreste.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ladybug was fairing better this time for the first time in weeks since the Lila debacle. Other akumas, while both silly or serious, had left her frustrated with herself since she still felt slow. Some of the others were just tricky for her. She was still rusty, but her instincts were still there. Chat Noir had her back, but she wasn't happy that he had taken a hit for her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe it was because she knew who was under the suit and mask getting hurt extensively, but for the first time since Lila's akumatization, she screamed during a fight. She screamed loudly and as much as she wanted to hide, she couldn't. She wanted the fight to end quickly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chat tried to push past the pain that was trying to eat at him. He hated seeing his Lady hurt, but she was the only one who would be able to fix it. He had to suppress his own yells, but he at least was able to still cause some damage. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>One timed Cataclysm and Lucky Charm later, it was over. Chat quickly comforted the victim before walking over to Ladybug. The superheroine was trembling a bit as people gathered nearby. The cat went in for their usual "Pound it!," but Ladybug hugged him as she sniffled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's over LB," whispered Chat. "We can go home."</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Beep</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Ladybug blinked away the tears that wanted to fall, and stood on her tiptoes. "Chat Noir?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, M'Lady? Are you-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ignoring the growing crowd and the probability that Alya was recording, Ladybug kissed Chat Noir. It was brief, but it was enough for Parisians to cheer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The poor cat was taken by surprise. Smiling widely, he then kissed his partner and even tilted her back before bringing her up. "Bugaboo…?" His eyes were full of hope, his fake cat ears and belt tail also on high alert.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, Kitty. I mean it."</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Beep</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The superhero wanted to say yes, but taking a look at his Lady, he knew that he needed to protect her. "I think we'll be okay without the masks" he whispered. "With the masks on though, we should wait a bit."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The spotted heroine agreed. "We'll just have to be patient and wait a little while." The fear in her chest had gone away now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ladybug!" yelled Alya. "So are you and Chat Noir together now?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ladybug let go of Chat as she gave the hopeful Parisians a bittersweet smile. "To answer your question Alya, no. Chat and I aren't together."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So what does the kiss mean?" inquired the reporter. "Is there a future for you two?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think the kiss explains itself. As for Chat Noir and I, we've talked about it before, but we care too much for Paris to put our home at risk. Our happiness will come when we know Paris is safe for good. So for now, we're staying friends, but hopefully one day we'll get to be happy. And no, we have </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>revealed our identities. We're saving that for when things finally settle down. Does that answer your questions?"</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Beep</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have one more, but it's not related to your relationship status. Did you get to see the Agreste charity concert?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I saw the livestream. I enjoyed it. But I need to go. Everyone, travel safely home. Bug out!" In classic Ladybug style, the spotted heroine swung away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, looks like that's my cue," said Chat. "My Lady pretty much just summed up our partnership. We love each other, we aren't dating and we don't know each other. Now if you'll excuse me. Goodnight everyone! This cat has to sc-cat-ter!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chat had to take the long way around, but he managed to land on Marinette’s roof. He tapped the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette quickly opened it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Chat?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hi, Princess. Can I come in? I need to recharge and we agreed to talk."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Right. Yeah. S-Sure."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette would be lying if she said she wasn't freaking out. She had just kissed Adrien in front of all of Paris (in their superhero forms) and he was surprisingly not bouncing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned on her bedside lamp as both teens sat down next to each other on the bed, their backs propped up by the pillows. Tikki, who had been woken up, took Plagg down to get food so their humans could talk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not sure where to start," admitted Adrien. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Start what?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What I was originally going to talk to you about."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is it good news or bad news?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not sure," huffed Adrien. "It's my father…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What happened?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nothing bad per se. He was happy with the results of the concert and he said that you shouldn't sign anything right now to design for any fashion houses."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's… odd."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," said Adrien. "But then he started asking me about your plans for lycée."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not exactly sure, but the way he was talking, he implied that you should go the Economics and Social Sciences route for your Bac since you still want to attend a university after lycée. I think he's keeping an eye on you. But he agreed with my idea to practice Chinese with your mom and for the cooking and baking line."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's great that he supported your ideas! But I don't understand Adrien? What do you mean 'keeping an eye on me'?" asked Marinette.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Obviously I have to go the Economics and Social Sciences route since I'll be expected to take over the company. It's also the thing that will let me take you out and come over. As for why he's giving you advice? I think he sees you as a future investment…" Adrien trailed off at the sudden realization. He could feel his cheeks turn red.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What's wrong?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nothing. It's just- I think my dad and I sort of came to the same conclusion but going different ways about it…" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So you agreed on something."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you mean that we'll expect you to run the design and production side of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gabriel </span>
  </em>
  <span>in several years, I guess so."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"In a few years? But that would mean that- Oh!" Marinette was probably more embarrassed than Adrien. She recalled Adrien unofficial 'proposal' from a few weeks ago. Could Gabriel Agreste already have her in mind as the protégé that would run the Agreste fashion empire alongside his only heir?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry if it's a lot I'm springing on you," apologized the teenage boy. "I just realized what my dad was implying."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We-We can talk about it another time. We still have years before anything serious will happen. Let's just enjoy right now."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Going off of that, I'm sorry for scaring you during the akuma battle, Bugaboo," apologized Adrien. "I know you hate me taking hits for you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's fine. I'll be fine, Kitty. It's just going to take time to get used to it again. I know it's unavoidable. About what happened afterwards," she said softly as to not wake her parents up. "I meant it and it wasn't just because I wanted to give Paris something to be happy about. I-I was going to tell you in private, but after the akuma..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You've certainly made me the happiest cat around."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I couldn't wait becau- Oh!" she said, her face flushed like in the early days. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien hugged her, resting his head atop of hers. "Marinette?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Y-Yes, Adrien?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you wonder what things would be like if things in New York had been different?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For the teenage girl, the question felt like it came out of nowhere. "Why do you ask?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nothing really. It's just that with now knowing how you truly feel about me, I do wonder why I never noticed sooner," Adrien confessed. The thought had just occurred to him. He never dwelled on the 'what if's or on hypothetical situations often. It was likely due to now knowing that Marinette had given her permission for him to ask her out finally. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why you never noticed my crush on you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Didn't we already talk about this?" asked Marinette. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not exactly."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You were so in love with Ladybug that you were oblivious about me, but you could tell when other girls were interested."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Meowch," he punned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn't want to dwell on the hypothetical scenario. "If I hadn't confessed before you left New York…" She shifted herself so she could hug the blond, resting her face against where his heart was. "I think I would be heartbroken. I'm not sure how the rest of the trip would go, but when I saw you get in the car… I knew."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You knew what, Mari?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wasn't ready to let you go. It was going to hurt a lot, and I'm sure Luka would notice, but I would've been lying to myself if I ignored my heart. I think it would hurt to be around you, but I would bear the pain if being with Kagami was what made you happy."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The teenage boy chastised himself. "And I probably wouldn't have noticed still. I'm an idiot."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're not, Kitty. It's not your fault your parents didn't send you to public school." Marinette laughed softly as she teased him. "You can only gain so much insight on social interactions from anime and other media."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey! I'll let you know that anime is why I was prepared to be a superhero. Take it back, My Lady!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nuh uh. That would be like saying your puns are </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually </span>
  </em>
  <span>cool. Which they're not."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you trying to break this cat's heart?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Feed them once and they stay."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Of course, LB. Your family's food is all I need."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maybe we should teach you how to cook instead of eat," said the designer as she looked up at him booped his nose. "Then maybe you'll appreciate Plagg more."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How dare you imply that." The green-eyed boy stopped hugging Marinette. "Don't make me tickle you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't you dare. If my parents heard me…" she trailed off blushing. "Papa's going to skin you alive and you'll lose your 9 lives. Is that worth it all over tickles?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Blame Plagg's stupid bad luck. I'll get you for this Marinette."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You won't." She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Thank you," she said suddenly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What did I do?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"For just being you and for coming. It's the first time in a while I've felt calm…" She let out a yawn as she snuggled him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're welcome, Marinette."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two teens continued to talk until Marinette finally dozed off to a peaceful slumber. Adrien tucked her in and after kissing her forehead, the cat made his way back home to dream about what summer would bring for the couple.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0040"><h2>40. Chapter 40</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Adrien spent the two months of summer vacation hanging out with Marinette, but never did he actually call their hangouts 'dates.' Between his Chinese lessons with Ms. Cheng, shadowing at his father's company and akumas, Adrien was surprised Marinette hadn't complained. She had already said she was ready to date and yet he hadn't actually asked her out formally.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You could bet he got a lot of flack from their friends. Alya was adamant that if he didn't ask Marinette out soon, his not-girlfriend was going to start doubting whether he was serious about being in a relationship. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely</span>
  </em>
  <span> couldn't have that. He had promised to do what he could to make his partner in crime-fighting happy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He really was lucky Alya had a calendar on the Ladyblog about big dates pertaining to Paris's heroes. Their second anniversary was tomorrow! Good thing it was Friday and it was a holiday because of Ladybug and Chat Noir.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Marinette was tired. She and Adrien had spent the entire day together, but unable to relax. When Paris needed its superheroes, duty called. Interview after interview, meeting with the Mayor, keeping an eye out for Hawk Moth and Mayura, and patrolling in between on such a huge celebration meant for them meant no time to talk in private. Ladybug had to try and not show her jealousy at Chat Noir's flirty fangirls. Meanwhile she was left wondering when Adrien was going to ask Marinette out. Fortunately no akuma attacks had occurred.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she couldn't sleep. Her parents would be out for several more hours helping cater the celebrations at the Bourgeois' hotel. She regretted not having an anniversary present for her Kitty to celebrate their partnership. Maybe she could make-</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thud!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Glancing to her roof window, she saw green eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Chat? What are you doing here?" she asked after opening the hatch for her partner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I almost forgot to give you your purr-esent!" Chat replied as he sat down on Marinette’s bed. "Claws in."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Plagg quickly went off to the kwami cubby. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Present? Adrien, you didn't have to get me anything."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not anything big, but it's outside. And there's something I want to talk about," the blond said nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why was Adrien nervous? Was it possible he was-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just because she knew it was probably coming didn't mean she wasn't any less nervous or excited about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Closing the roof door, she followed him back onto her rooftop and both stood on the balcony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien brushed some of her hair back behind her ear. "As beautiful as Paris is, it doesn't compare to you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hadn't even asked her yet and Marinette was already about to become a puddle! She smiled shyly since she knew she wouldn't be able to form coherent words yet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So maybe they had gotten even closer over the break. They were now more comfortable and affectionate with each other. Kisses on cheeks and holding hands on occasion in public. In private there was the cuddling and flirtatious banter that neither of them was brave enough to do outside of the mask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's been a crazy couple of months and yet I still can't believe I fell for the most incredible girl in the world. With and without her mask, she's courageous, smart, clever, creative, optimistic, and caring. She goes out of her way to help everyone around before putting herself first," said Adrien. "Even though she hasn't had it easy since the day we met, I'm lucky to have been able to call her my first friend and my partner."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Adrien…" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I didn't expect to fall for her twice, but I'm glad I did. After we defeated the first akuma, I said that I loved the girl beneath the mask, whoever she was," he confessed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"R-Really?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes. I know I said it before, but I love you. I love </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Mari."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was she crying? Why did she have to cry? It's not like he was actually proposing. Besides, they had already done this back in New York and when they came back. She shouldn't be crying, yet here she was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The young model cupped the aspiring designer's face. "You okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Y-Yeah. I'm j-just a little overwhelmed I guess. I was just remembering New York, what happened after and-and how I shouldn't be feeling like this," Marinette hiccupped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There's nothing wrong with how you're feeling."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm just- I'm safe and I'm happy. My life isn't perfect, but having you here has meant a lot, Kitty. I was ready to throw it away and forget, but I'm thankful you didn't give up on me. You-You've done so much and-and I don't know if I'll ever be able to repay it back. Even when you drive me crazy or if I get mad, you've always been there. And I know you'll support me no matter what happens. I'm a bit scared about what our future holds, but you'll have my back through it all. It makes me less scared to face the unknown. I love you, Adrien."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't have to repay me anything. Just keep being yourself. You know this, but there's something I've been dying to ask you for the last 2 months."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She teased him with her watery smile. "You mean dying to ask me for the last 2 years?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had wiped away most of her tears, but a few still lingered. "And you've been waiting 2 years for me to ask," he retorted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Had this been a few months ago, you wouldn't have been so patient."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I learned to appurreciate having you in my life, My Lady."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neither teen had minded the cooler weather, but a rumble in the sky caused Marinette to jump. "What was that?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It definitely wasn't Plagg," said the model as he glanced up at the sky. "It's hard to see the sky properly with all the lights, but it sounded like-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another rumble echoed across Paris as he felt something wet on his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We should get inside before either of us get sick," said Marinette.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien pleaded. "There's no lightning. I think we'll be fine for a few minutes. Since I'm already enjoying one of my favorite views with my favorite Bug, I want to be out here and not inside."</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ugh, those eyes are going to be the death of me.</span>
  </em>
  <span> "Yes, Kitty Cat?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Now where was I before the clouds rolled in to steal my thunder?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The superheroine tried to booped his nose, but the superhero's cat reflexes were faster. Taking her hand, he kissed it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I brie-lieve you were going to ask me something," she replied, trying to tease him in a tiny, flirty way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>More thunder roared over them as the rain droplets began to fall. It was as if both teens had seen the beginning of this film before with an ending neither of them liked. That déjà vu feeling seemed to tell them this story had a different ending.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned his back to her to pick up a bouquet he had placed behind her chair. </span>
  <span>"I know that with you being the Guardian of the Miraculouses means that Paris' safety comes first. I know that we'll have to keep things quiet for a while, but knowing we won't be apart makes me look forward to when we can finally enjoy our time together. I'll always keep waiting for you if I have to. I can't promise that I won't get hurt during akuma attacks or that I'll puns less, but I do promise to do whatever I can to make you happy… What comes next will sort of be new to me. To both of us." Adrien</span>
  <span> brought his left hand out, and in it were a dozen red roses. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng, will you go out with me?"</span>
</p><p>It was almost pouring as the thunder's volume grew, her voice got caught in her throat. </p><p>
  <span>Bluebell eyes looked at the green eyes and hand in front of her. </span>
  <span>Stepping forward, her right hand held onto his and the bouquet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A gasp escaped her lips. Adrien quickly caught Marinette as she began to trip backwards. Steadying her, his hands rested on her waist. Marinette slipped her left arm around Adrien's neck, as her right hand held onto the flowers. The blonde couldn't help but laugh a little bit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A flashback to a certain black umbrella appeared in their minds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seeing her best friend and partner relaxed and happy despite them being soaked made Marinette smile and laugh too. "Yes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien almost didn't hear Marinette’s response due to the rain that was hitting them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uh huh. I'd wuv- love to go out you. Go out I mean! I'd love to go out with you… Ugh, why am I stammering? I haven't stammered in-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The butterflies in her stomach fluttered as Adrien kissed her. She happily kissed him back. She had lost track of how many first kisses they had had, but this was the first one in which there were no masks, no secrets and no things holding them back. Neither had to feel guilty about anything. Sure, staying "just friends" as Ladybug and Chat Noir was still a challenge, but that was a thing for their superhero selves to worry about. Right now? Two teenagers were simply enjoying being able to be together.</span>
</p><p>There was no wall between them.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0041"><h2>41. Bonus Chapter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The previous chapter is the official end of the story. The way I wrote it, I paralleled to a specific thing that happened in the show. Can you figure it out?</p><p>This is a bonus chapter. Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Marinette eventually ended the kiss much to a disappointed Adrien.</p><p>"You should probably head back to your house, Kitty. You need to dry off."</p><p>"I don't want to," pouted Adrien.</p><p>"We both need sleep, and besides, if you get in trouble, then you won't be able to finally take me out on that date." </p><p>"But I don't have to be home for hours." Adrien pouted. "Can't I cuddle?"</p><p>"You're lucky I've made you plenty of clothes and they're wrapped, ready."</p><p>"You already made presents for me?"</p><p><em> Did I just admit to- Oh no! </em>"J-Just go inside so I can give you what you need to dry off. I'm going to have to change the bedsheets from all the water a Chat dragged in..."</p><p>Marinette climbed back into her room, followed by Adrien. </p><p>It took a bit, but eventually both teens were dried off. Marinette wanted to scold Adrien since she was now having to do laundry in the middle of the night, but she was too tired and very comfortable wrapped in Adrien's arms. </p><p>While neither said much, the designer eventually started dozing off, and Adrien took this as his cue to leave. Located passed out on Tikki’s bed were Tikki and Plagg. Adrien woke his kwami up, much to the latter's annoyance.</p><p>A quick "I have camembert coming in," changed the cat kwami's mood for the better. "Good night Marinette. Thank you for the treats."</p><p>"You're welcome, Plagg. Please take care of Adrien," mumbled Marinette as she sat up to see her Kitty off.</p><p>"You got it."</p><p>Adrien called forth his transformation. Chat Noir now sat next to Marinette.</p><p>"Good night, Kitty. Don't let the akumas bite. Happy anniversary." </p><p>Chat smiled fondly. "Happy anniversary My Lady. Sweet dreams." </p><p>With one final kiss goodbye, the leather-clad superhero tucked in his Ladybug and headed back to his room a few blocks over. </p><p>Plagg was annoyed by his Kitten's goofy grin, but he wouldn't say anything. <em> Finally </em> his human and Tikki's were together. Tikki was happy for Marinette. After everything the girl had been through, she deserved to be happy somehow. </p><p>Marinette was beginning to fall back asleep when the realization finally hit her. She was dating Adrien! She was <em> finally </em>dating Adrien Agreste! Sure, it was technically the second time they got together (does New York even count?), but still. She was dating him! She should probably start preparing those gifts she had put away after Miracle Queen...</p><p>Adrien knew he was going to have a hard time staying away from the Dupain-Cheng bakery. The love of his life actually agreed to be with him and without any<em>thing </em>stopping them. It was a relief, but also came the new challenge: How to sweep his Lady off her feet? He'd find the answer eventually. They still had years together.</p><p>She was too ecstatic to fall asleep so she went to her desk and for the first time in months, she pulled out her diary. She had written in it before, but a lot of the more recent entries were negative emotions she wished to move past from. Now that she was on the mend, maybe writing wouldn't be so hard?</p><p>(She should probably make something for Ms. Bustier as a thank you. The writing exercises definitely helped her get her emotions and thoughts out in a healthy outlet, just like therapy)</p><p>Taking the journal and a pen, she settled back in bed.</p><p>
  <em> Dear diary, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> It's been quite a while since I last wrote anything good in these pages. I've officially graduated from collège and will be starting lycée in 2 days. Since the trip to New York to celebrate Franco-American week last school year, my life has been just as crazy as before. On the one hand, I hurt a lot, but on the other, I think the relationships in my life have strengthened because of what's happened. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> I lost Adrien and Chat Noir in New York, got them back, only to deal with a broken heart and more before I could find happiness. I'm not sure where to begin.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> I guess I should start with the plane ride… </em>
</p><p>In his room, Adrien also began writing.</p><p>
  <em> Dear Mom, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> I'm not sure if the pain will ever go away. I miss you a lot, but I'm starting to feel happy again.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> If I was able to save the world, would you be mad? I want to tell you so much, but I can't. It's complicated, but you taught me to help people. I've been given an opportunity to do just that, Mom. I hope you're proud.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> I have a girlfriend. Her name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She's both a baker and a designer and an amazing girl. I think you would like her. She's selfless, courageous, creative and a lot more. We started off as friends and 5 months ago, I realized I loved her. I loved her since the day I met her, but a lot of things happened and it took a while.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Marinette was the first friend I made at a school when I started troisième. We had a misunderstanding on the first day, but after that, we got to know each other. I know you'd probably say I'm too young to say this, but I love her, Mom. She's my other half. I know that no matter what life throws our way, I'll be with her forever.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> How do I know? It goes back to me not being able to tell you everything. You could say fate or destiny chose us to help save the world and brought us together. It's a lot we have to face, but we're doing everything we can. I'm still not sure how we're going to go to university, run the company and save everyone, but we'll figure it out... </em>
</p><p>"I'll need to give this to Marinette so she can keep it safe," muttered Adrien as he kept writing. </p><p>Tired from the night's events, both teens eventually fell asleep smiling. Dreams of their first date and their future together filled their heads. Hopes for the future remained and with it, the miraculous adventures that lay ahead.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is the first major Miraculous story I wrote. It was a result  of a combination of wanting a different ending for the New York special and dealing with my own battle against the internal akuma that is anxiety. It helped me put into words some of the emotions I've felt. It also let me imagine a different ending to Marinette and Adrien. I hope that they find each other early on in season 4. </p><p>To the 100+ of you that have given this story kudos and/or reviewed, thank so much for your support and interest. I am working on other writing projects. I'm not sure when they'll get posted, but they'll get done.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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